


Xpecting 25 weeks

by Philefic



Series: Xpecting [2]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-31
Updated: 2016-01-30
Packaged: 2018-05-17 08:36:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 39,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5861857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Philefic/pseuds/Philefic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>We follow on from Xpecting: 12 Weeks. Mulder and Scully continue to navigate this pregnancy. Another case file in tow</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter one

**Author's Note:**

> I am transferring all my work to this archive

Scully began wondering why she bothered making the bed in the morning these days. She always ended up back here, sprawled across her mattress, pillows discarded and covers thoroughly ruffled. A light sheen of sweat covered her brow, her breath coming in short pants as she raised her hips up and down. The tension in her legs was becoming painful under such exertion. She just needed a little more time, more thrust of her hips and it would happen. Rotating slightly to the left and she hit the perfect angle. She was so close she closed her eyes and dug deep ….just

One

More

Thrust

Her back arched "Aaah"! She cried out and that damn zip on her long pencil skirt came up. She lay there for a few moments, getting her breath back, contemplating how she was going to stand now that she had essentially placed a vice between her breasts and knees and no-longer had the ability to bend in the middle. Her head lolled towards the alarm clock, she had a meeting with Skinner at 8am, her third early meeting with him this week. People were starting to talk. This wasn't something she was unfamiliar with; she just hadn't been on top of the gossip list since Jerse and that bloody tattoo. Her pregnancy had put her just under the guy who was on forced leave for something he saw on his computer that was apparently outside his jurisdiction. Actually even she and Mulder had a wager on that one. She had him pegged as an international spy while he wavered a much more x-rated theory. Her breathing had settled so she tested a bend in the middle, lifting her chin to her chest. Her bump was still small enough to hide; it was there if you looked but she could still hide it easily under a blouse or long jacket. She rubbed a hand over it willing it to respond. The small flutters from the earlier weeks were easy to dismiss but lately she could feel the large rolling movements and sometimes even the sharp point of a limb stretching out to press against her abdomen. It was the weirdest and best sensation all rolled into one tight little ball sitting just under and flattening her bellybutton. The baby lay still, Miss or Mr was apparently sleeping in for a change. She had been resisting the maternity clothes her mother had so kindly brought for her, determined to stay out of them as long as possible. How could anyone be taken seriously wearing a pair of slacks or skirt with an elasticised pouch in the front? "Come on baby." She tried to convince herself and her bump and rolled to one side slowly bringing her to a standing position. The sound of ripping material had her frozen mid stance. "No!" she gripped the side zip desperately but could feel the material continue to open underneath her hand. "No, No, NO" She pulled her hand away, the zip had obligingly stayed closed the stitching holding it there unfortunately hadn't. Worrying the catch she attempted to lower it again but as stubborn as it was going up it wouldn't go back down. Gripping each side she tiptoed over to her mirror, every tipey toe step she felt another thread break until she gave up and puffed out her held breath. Her belly popped out with it, rewarding her with an image in the mirror of her very pregnant self and a gaping hole in her favourite black skirt. The over-sized underwear she had been forced to wear peaked through the gap. Her body was subtly trying to tell her something this morning and she realised she needed to start paying attention. The zip finally released her from its vice allowing her to push the skirt down her legs. If she didn't get a move on she was going to be late for her meeting, so she kicked it off and pulled open her closet to grab a pair of black dress pants. The maternity skirt hanging next to it swung on its coat hanger, the clatter of the metal hook mocking her with its squeaky hinge. Ignoring it, she pulled the pants on one leg at a time. She squeezed the two sides of the fly together with the same strength she would use in mortal combat. There was no way that fly was going to go up and she was now running extremely late for her meeting with Skinner. She kicked the pants off her legs and tore the maternity skirt from its hanger without even looking at its smug little pouch. The elasticised waist band pulled easily over her hips and the muscles in her abdomen expanded happily. Now officially running extremely late, she quickly slipped into her panty hose, buttoned and tucked her blouse. Earrings went in, hair brushed with open fingers smoothing it neatly around the curve of her face, a bit of lippy and she was good to go. She could grab breakfast after the meeting she thought absently as she rushed passed her full length mirror. The woman standing in the mirror stunned her momentarily. For the very first time she actually looked pregnant, quite pregnant in fact. There was no hiding it any longer. Even though it wasn't exactly a secret, the fact that it wasn't obvious had prevented people from actually confronting her about it. No-one had mentioned it and today people were going to notice. She pulled her jacket on, attempted to button it, gave up on that too and left.

Scully walked the corridor she had walked every morning for the last six years in her job as Special Agent of the F.B.I. Her shoes still made the same even rhythm as they hit the floor, the air still smelled of burnt coffee and the floor was still shining having just been cleaned. The faces were all the same but today all eyes were pointed in her direction. Their staring was creating a thick atmospheric pressure around her and the sheer ridiculousness of it made her smile; on the inside of course. The people in this building often talked about her, however, usually their fascination was rooted in a rumour regarding bigfoot or a yeti, little green men – often - but not this juicy little secret she hid under her top. Either she was smuggling in an unidentified object or this confirmed the pregnancy rumour that had been circulating for months. The water cooler blurped as she passed prompting one of those standing next to it to say something "Good morning Agent Scully."

She nodded politely, poised, head held high. 'Do your worst.' She thought, the challenge written in the crease between her brows. 'I shake hands with mutants on a daily basis. Your staring and talking behind your coffee mugs is nothing compared to being Mrs Spooky for the last six years.' A male agent slowed as he approached her. His gaze was fixed on her belly and not on his path and he walked straight into a desk, lurching himself forward and emptying the contents of his mug over the wood and documents that covered it.

"Hey watch it!" the owner of the desk yelped, clearly unimpressed as he pushed back from behind it to avoid his lap being scalded.

Scully ignored the commotion, thankful that someone had diverted the gaze of most of those in the vicinity and rounded the corner to her boss's office. The woman sitting behind the desk was not Kimberley, Skinners PA but a short round woman with a greying bob pinned on the side and a floral top that screamed 1985. She had head phones in ears and her fingers were pounding the keyboard in front of her, obviously transcribing whatever document or letter was being read through the recorded device. "Excuse me?" Scully was almost afraid to interrupt. The woman lifted one hand off the keyboard to point a finger at her, gesturing for her to wait one minute. Her other hand carried on impressively doing the work of two hands on the keyboard. She lowered her finger and continued to pound away. Scully shuffled from one foot to another eyeing the unusual woman and her boss's door hoping he would open it and save her from an interaction with this person. The woman punched the full stop key and pushed gently away from the computer screen.

She smiled at Scully as she removed her ear piece. "Good morning love, you must be Dana Scully." She spoke like a great aunt. One of those larger than life woman who only ever saw you as a 13 year old with pigtails and big potential. Scully smiled politely back, not showing any teeth. She went to reply when the woman began talking again "Sorry I mean Special Agent, Scully. They sent me up from admin today. Poor we Stephanie has the diarrhoea." She pronounced each syllable as if it were a separate word. "Poor wee thing, when I spoke to her on the phone this morning she was going at both ends." Scully's mouth hung open from her previously unspoken sentence and now just masked shock at the abundance of over information she was being given. The woman didn't seem to notice the shock on her face and continued. "I don't usually get to speak with you Agents, I just occasionally type up the messy scrawl some of y'all call report keeping." Scully took a breath to speak but this woman wasn't going to let her get a word in. "Actually, I have transcribed some of your autopsies Miss Scully. You use big words. Ex..sang…uin…ate," she pronounced each syllable singularly again. "Put…ri…fied, of course it all ends with unexplained, unidentified. Honestly honey, sometimes I wonder why you don't just say 'weird stuff.'" Scully closed her mouth and sat back on her heels now thoroughly perplexed by this woman who still hadn't introduced herself. "It's nice to put a face to the voice on the end of the recorder and what a pretty face it is. Hmmm, I pictured someone taller." She trailed off looking Scully up and down. "And look at you my dear, positively glowing with your little bundle in there. How far along are you?" She gestured toward her swollen belly and for a frightful minute Scully thought she was going to touch it. She didn't give her the opportunity to reply. "About six months I'd say am I right? Oh I just loved being pregnant, you're carrying low, a boy I bet. I bet you already found out didn't you? You young people all find out with your fancy scans and what not. In my day you found out what the good Lord gave after you squeezed that giant thing out of your little flower bed. Here, I didn't think you were married." She looked down at Scully's ring finger and noted the absence of a band. She raised an eyebrow at Scully.

'Flowerbed?!' Scully couldn't take anymore "I'm sorry Mrs?"

"Ms White, call me Dolly."

Scully declined the offer of being on a first name basis with this woman "Ms White, I have an appointment with the AD." She glanced at his closed door.

Dolly looked a little sheepish "I'm sorry dear, of course." She punched a button on the intercom "Mr Skinner, Agent Scully is here to see you." She altered the tone of her voice as she spoke into the intercom, sounding more like a PA to an Assistant Director of the FBI instead of the regional Girl Scout receptionist. She smiled with closed lips and sat back in her chair still seeming to eye Scully up and down.

The office door opened and Skinner stepped out his eyes falling instantly to Scully's middle, like he hadn't seen it the day before, when she was there, at the exact same time, in the exact same condition. Scully suddenly found the urge to check her back for a 'baby on board' sign. "Good morning, Sir." She helped pull him out of his awkward moment.

"Good morning Agent." He paused looking down embarrassed "please come in." Scully squeezed passed him through the door frame. "Hold all my calls, Ms White. Agent Scully and I will be busy for a while here."

Dolly held her professional tone, even as her eyes volleyed back in forth between the pair mischievously 'busy huh?' She thought. "Certainly Sir." She replied straightening her back. Her fingers tingled at the thought of dialling the girls down stairs to spread this juicy piece of gossip. So its true there is definitely a bun cooking in the X-Files kitchen. But who was the Daddy, and why was Mr Skinner suddenly having long, daily morning meetings with Agent Scully?

Scully and Skinner fitted awkwardly through the door frame. His elbow grazed her belly as she passed. "Sorry" they both said simultaneously. Scully's phone started to ring offering a reprieve from the awkward interaction between the trio. "Sorry Sir, I haven't turned that off." She pulled the phone from her belt drawing her jacket back further causing her belly to bulge just a little more.

Skinner's focus was again momentarily distracted by the tight little bundle, stumbling slightly through his response " ah ba sure no go ahead answer it."

"Scully.."

'Hey, am I interrupting?'

Her eyes snapped up at her boss, trying to be discrete and remain professional. "You know you are" she replied through gritted teeth.

'Good' Mulder was enjoying her discomfort.

"Is it urgent? I'm just headed into a meeting."

'You know Scully, this is your third private morning meeting with the Assistant Director, our Assistant Director,' he extended the sound of the word 'our'. 'I'm wondering if I should be suspicious.'

She shook her head and smiled politely at Skinner who was pretending not to listen to her end of the conversation and let Mulder continue his ramblings in her ear.

'He is already taking you off field work with me and these negotiations of your new role are at the present time keeping you out of helping down here with the crud book work. Statistically, an FBI Assistant Director spends approximately 85% of his working day in meetings such as the one you are presently attending. By my calculation you have taken up close to 40% of that 85% this week alone where as you have spent a mere 30% of your working week on your actual assignment, which is helping me sign these budget estimations for the audit next month.'

She could hear him shuffling through books and boxes while he rambled and she momentarily switched off to what he was saying and tried to figure out what he might be doing. The rambling continued anyway.

'More importantly I estimate our 'after work time' spent together to be around 90% in recent months however that has been halved these last three days to accommodate for the now ever increasing time taken in meetings with said Assistant Director, whom word from the secretary pool is, he is quite easy on the female eye.'

She rolled her eyes "Mulder.."

'I'm reaching a point here' he interrupted.

She sighed and took her seat opposite her boss's desk chancing a glance at him. He was reading through something on his computer, still pretending he didn't mind the interruption of the phone call.

'By my calculations, your time spent under the thumb of one Walter Skinner has increased an exponential 82.3%, drastically declining the time spent under me.' He could tell she was about to hang up simply in the way she was ignoring him. 'Wait don't hang up yet, I actually do have a new assignment on my desk to run passed you.'

She could still hear him shuffling about through his ramblings. "Where are you?"

'In the store cupboard.'

Then she heard something fall heavily on the other side of the phone.

'ow!'

"What was that?"

'A really big book! Ow.'

"Everything ok?" Skinner looked up at her from his computer vaguely concerned; she shook her head slightly indicating everything was fine.

'yeah I'm bleeding though, it may need stitches. See Scully look what happens when I'm left to my own devices down here? Giant books fall on my head.'

"I'll be sure to bring my gun with me when I'm finished in my meeting, which should have started 25 minutes ago."

'You joke Scully, but that book came from no-where and just so happens to be what I was looking for and now it has my blood on it.'

"What is it?"

' "Mythological sea creatures". Tell me Scully, your dad was a sailor, did he ever encounter a mermaid?' He sounded genuinely curious.

"I'm hanging up now."

She could hear his desperate voice as her flip phone slowly came to a close on him 'wait, Scully….. Bring ice.'

###

As she approached the door to the basement office she could vaguely hear music playing. She slowed her approach as she tried to make out the distorted cords spilling out from under her partner's door. The only means they had to play music on was their little broken boom box that still played cassettes and needed an aerial extension to receive any kind of radio signal. She carefully turned the handle, slowly pushing the door open, her interest in what she might find piqued. The music was foreign, unrecognisable, perhaps Italian or French. The old speakers were making it hard for her to decipher. It was pretty though, and not what she expected him to be listening too. The singer was either in love or dying, with foreign music it was more about the music and less about the lyrics and this was beautiful. It reminded her of a French film where lovers met in the rain and declared their undying devotion to one another. Mulder hadn't heard her come in. He was busy flicking through the files in his X-Files cabinet. She walked into the middle of the office and forgot to close the door behind her. "Mulder?"

He startled and spun to see her. "Hey" his focus dropped to her middle "hey" he repeated a pitch higher in the second time he spoke. She too looked down at her pregnant belly and rubbed it subconsciously. He dragged a file from the cabinet, slammed it closed and then perched himself on the front edge of his desk.

"How's the head?" She dropped her hand to her side and walked towards him coming to stand between his knees. Her fingers pulled back the front fringe of his hair where blood had dried then she leaned into him to get a closer look at the depth of the wound. His nose was a mere inch from her cleavage, her gold cross glimmered in his eyes catching the light in the room. He noticed her middle wasn't the only thing that had popped out this morning. He wondered if she even noticed she was practically smooshing her chest in his face. The fact that she was still carefully examining the bump on his head answered that thought in the negative. As usual she was oblivious to the effect she had on him. The French song coming from the only radio station he could find down here in the basement, was singing about love lost and found. From what he could make out with his high school French lessons, they had fallen in love, fought and then he had died. A sense of nostalgia washed over him so he grabbed her wrists and pulled her close.

"Sorry" she thought she had hurt him, and then she caught that little twinkle in his eye "What are you doing?"

"Dancing." He smiled and drew her to him placing one hand on her hip and took the other in his.

She decided to humour him and began to sway along. The woman in the song was hitting an soprano sequence and the cheap speakers protested. He ran his cheek over hers. She closed her eyes and leaned a little further into him. "You know Mulder dancing with you like this directly preluded to the event that got me in this condition."

"Hmmm" he hummed as he spun her under his arm then back against him. Their smiling lips landed dangerously close. "I want to kiss you." He confessed.

"We are at work"

"We are dancing too"

"You cornered me, practically grabbed me. I may file a harassment suit."

He nudged his flat abdomen against her round one "I think that ship has sailed."

They continued to sway together, goofy grins spread over their faces. They didn't hear the footsteps walking towards the door until someone cleared their throat. They subtly parted; Scully turned towards the desk and began flicking through a random file.

Mulder turned towards the man now standing at their office door. "Hey, Agent Doggett" he moved around the desk and leaned back into his chair, reaching over to flick the little stereo off. "What can we do for you?"

"Agent Mulder, I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt." Doggett felt a little awkward and then a little pissed he was the one feeling awkward. "Actually, I do mean to. Agent Scully, I need to talk to you!"

Scully stopped shuffling and turned to face him, she was suddenly concerned about how angry he sounded "Is something wrong, Agent Doggett?"

"You could say that, some would at least.." He was stuttering. He knew it but there she was, just like they said.

Mulder and Scully passed a quizzical stare.

Doggett gathered his wits again "I came to say congratulations." His voice was much more composed now.

"Thank you." Scully was hesitant she sensed something else coming.

Doggett paused, took some time to scan her up and down again. "Here's the thing Agent Scully, um, it seems you are not the only one being congratulated today."

Mulder and Scully passed another silent look at each other and then starred firmly at Doggett waiting for him to elaborate.

"Tell me Agent Scully, you must recall the assignment we did together?"

"Of course"

"A married couple in the honeymoon suite on a million dollar cruise."

"Of course I remember, Agent Doggett. That case was filed months ago, was there some sort of discrepancy?"

"Discrepancy." He laughed " you could say that. Yes it was six months ago to be exact."

Scully nodded, Mulder rolled the sharp tip of a pencil against his finger.

"And how pregnant are you exactly, Agent Scully?"

Mulders chair flipped forward, when he realised where Doggett was going with this. The chair rolled, almost tipping completely. Scully was so stunned she stood frozen, thankful that she was leaning back against the desk. The room fell silent so everyone could digest the information. No-one wanted to be the first to speak. Of course Mulder excelled in this area of awkwardness. "I was on that ship."

Doggett kept his eyes on Scully when he answered him "Undercover! No one else knows that."

Scully licked her top lip nervously; Doggett turned to Mulder tracking him with his intense stare as he moved from his desk and came to stand between them. "Whoa, wait a minute here, let me get this straight. Scully and I have been working together six and a half years. You work with her for what, two weeks, and they think you made a home run before me?" He pretended to look hurt.

"I'm glad you think this is funny, Agent Mulder."

Scully bit her lip. It was a little funny.

"Oh I don't think it's funny at all. Six and a half years!" Mulder emphasised.

"Mulder" Scully tried to quash the sarcasm.

"Well, laugh it up both of you. Meanwhile I have baby clothes and child care offers from the secretarial pool."

"I'll fix it Agent Doggett." Scully reassured.

"Thank you!" he pulled his hands from the depth of his pocket and straightened his jacket "and maybe you could learn to keep your office door closed." The slamming door punctuated his final statement.

"Ethan, Skinner and now Doggett, you'll get a reputation Miss Scully."

"Should I be offended?" She briefly looked concerned.

"I don't know should you?"

Scully shrugged, "can't be any worse than the reputation I got when I started working down here with you. You're just jealous the secretarial pool picked Doggett over you, unless of course they know something about you I don't."

"I'd be surprised if they even realised I still work for the FBI. I haven't been swimming in the secretarial pool in, ooh, about five years." He let that sink in. He could have sworn she blushed a little. "So what has Skinner come up with for you Scully? Are they sending you back to Quantico?"

"No actually, I'll be staying right here."

"Here?"

"Yes down here in the basement. I'm still staying in the X-Files division I'll just be working behind a desk. Actually, behind your desk." She ran her index finger along the polished wood like she was checking for dust.

"They are letting me out in the field alone?"

"Well if necessary they will assign someone to help you, meanwhile, I'll be here. You can send me evidence to analyse; I can conduct research from here, phone consultations."

"So you'll be like my personal secretary?" He smirked

"Well, no I wouldn't put it quite like that."

"I've never had a secretary before." His eyes glassed over.

She blew out a breath through pursed lips realising she had lost him to a day dream. She pushed off the front of the desk and rounded it to sit in his chair. She leaned back into it like he did. It was more comfortable than it looked and she wondered why she was just now allowed the privilege of sitting here. She straightened her back, resting her elbows down on the desk as if poised ready to work "I could get used to this."

He turned and looked her over. "Put your glasses on, Scully."

She frowned at him as she reached over for her glasses and sat them on the bridge of her nose "why?"

He smiled mischievously at her "Oh, I could get used to this too."

She threw the glasses back down on the desk "What have we got on today? More budget thingys?"

"Budget 'thingys'? No I have completed all the budget 'thingys', you're welcome by the way. I actually have an X-file."

"Mermaids Mulder, really?"

"Two men are dead Scully, dragged from their fishing boats in the early hours of the morning. The one sailor on board who survived reported seeing three beautiful women swim up to the boat and lure them right into their clutches. No bodies have been found." He handed her his copy of the police report and a newspaper article from the local paper.

Scully pulled her glasses back on to read through the files, her eyes scanned quickly over the words. She raised a single eye brow in his direction "It was a buck's party, Mulder?"

"Your point being?"

"My point is there is usually alcohol on a buck's party and beautiful woman for that matter. There must be more to this for you to consider investigating it further." She tilted the file in his direction.

Mulder folded his arms across his chest and smiled at her, he loved playing this game. His office phone rang before he could reply. He made no attempt to answer it, instead he tilted his head toward it. "I believe it is now your job to answer that."

She could play his game, locking eyes with him she leaned back in his chair and crossed her legs making her skirt ride a little higher. Swinging her high stiletto slightly she reached and grabbed the phone receiver. In her best mock flirting secretary voice she answered "Special Agent Fox Mulder's office."

Mulder could barely contain himself. This fantasy just kept getting better and then the person on the end of the phone spoke and his joy was squashed in her startled reply.

"Ethan!" Her legs unfolded, her whole flirty demeanour halted abruptly, shattering his fantasy. Now she couldn't face him. "No, it's me, Hi."

Mulder picked up the giant book he had found earlier and flicked to the mermaid section he had marked. His finger traced the words on the page so he could pretend he was occupied and not trying to listen to her end of the conversation. Ethan hadn't called her in months; well not while he was present anyway.

"Yes. No. I don't think that's a good idea. Well things are busy right now."

There was a long pause in the conversation from her end and Mulder wondered what pathetic excuses he was making on the other end of the phone.

"I thought I made myself pretty clear. No, really Ethan I can't."

Mulder fought the urge to snatch the phone from her hand and slam it down on the bench; he may even say a few choice words into it before disconnecting the call. He knew better than to fight her battles for her though. It never worked out for him in the past. She said she would deal with it and he trusted her to do the same.

"Ok. Yes I suppose that will be ok. Actually." She looked like a light bulb had suddenly ignited on top of her head, "maybe we could meet for lunch?"

Mulder almost dropped the book from his lap as his head snapped up and looked at her.

"Why don't you come here? Yes to the Hoover building, that is where I work. Great is 1.30 too soon?" She looked at her wrist watch. "Ok, I'll see you then." She caught Mulder looking at her. "Yes, me too," she lay the phone gently back down onto the base and turned to face him. "Don't look at me like that."

"What Scully, I didn't say anything."

She rolled her eyes as she gathered her wallet from the desk and stood "you didn't have to. The vein pulsing from your temple was speaking loud and clear on your behalf."

He twitched his jaw as he watched her pack a few things into a briefcase she left lying around in the office for when she needed to take work home. He was still perched on the end of the desk making them equal in height. "You do realise that the majority of the F.B.I will be in the Hoover building cafeteria at 1.30, Scully." He pouted.

She was gathering the files and information he had just given her and stuffing them into her briefcase while he spoke. She paused briefly to catch his eye.

He caught her meaning instantly. "Ah, I get it. This is how you are going to 'fix it' for Doggett." His shoulders relaxed.

She latched the two clips on her briefcase and walked over to where he was sitting, teetering slightly on her tired feet. "I've been here early three mornings in a row; Skinner owes me a few hours." She took the book he was holding and hooked it under her arm. "I'll meet with Ethan, hopefully that will get Agent Doggett off our backs and then I'm going home. I can look over this stuff and do some online research from there." She leaned in and pecked him softly on the forehead before walking leaving the office. "Come over after work for dinner" She called from outside the door. Then her head appeared back around the edge of the frame. "Bring your overnight bag."

"Don't forget your glasses" He called to the sound of her heels descending the hall.

 

 

 

 

Scully couldn't remember the last time she walked into the main cafeteria of the Hoover building, probably during her induction week. It's not that the food was bad, or overpriced, or even that there was no discount for government employees. It was more the fact that it reminded her of her high school cafeteria; she never fit in there either. She was always too smart for the 'beautiful girl table' and too beautiful for the 'smart girl table'. The X-files division didn't fit in the FBI, let alone in the FBI cafeteria. The truth was a shared sandwich fighting over the existence of life on other planets was far more appealing to her these days. She took a moment at the threshold to roll that around in her head. The large seated dining area was full and humming with people. She scanned the faces, looking for Ethan and falling instead on Dolly who was staring straight at her. Dolly nudged the woman sitting next to her whose head snapped up and then straight in Scully's direction. Smiling politely she continued looking for Ethan while subconsciously trying to map a course through the sea of tables and diners. A few more eyes were sitting in her direction as she made her way past each table and chair "Excuse me" "Thank you" she said a few times before giving up on being polite and pushing through instead. Finally reaching a small clearing off to the side of the line of people waiting to purchase their meal, she blew on her forehead trying to cool the warm drops of perspiration that lined her brow. She looked around again for Ethan and realised she now held a captive audience of probably over 50 fellow FBI colleagues. She hoped at least some of them were Doggett's well-wishers.

Distracted by the crowd she didn't hear him sneak up behind her. Didn't realise someone was coming until large male hands grabbed her hips and pulled her back towards his front. He gave her such a fright she almost went into 'self-defence' mode and flipped him over her shoulder. Luckily for him, she recognised his voice when he spoke in her ear "Hey Dana."

She felt herself shrink a little against him and in front of all of these people. How dare he think he had the right to grab her like that. At least this was successfully getting her point across she conceded. She put her hands over his on her hips and pushed away slightly from him to try and stop him from moving his palms to her stomach. Her hands weren't quick or strong enough though and he felt the swell instantly. She felt him freeze when he realised, her eyes closed and her tongue swept the corner of her mouth nervously as she spun around and away from his embrace. "Ethan."

He stood looking down at her shocked, his palm slowly extended. Both he and Scully watched his hand make contact with her bump and the chatter in the large dining hall calmed to a quiet roar. His thumb moved her blouse over the tight skin lying beneath it and they both stared at it in wonder. He lifted his eyes to hers and she gave him a 'yeah about that' kind of look.

"Dana, look at you." His palm stayed on her baby bump.

"Yeah" She answered nervously, shuffling on her feet, this was incredibly uncomfortable. No-one had touched her like this yet, not even her mother, not even Mulder. She cleared her throat, hoping he would take the hint.

Luckily he did, clearing his own throat he dropped his hand, burying it in his pocket and took a small step back "I guess we aren't having lunch." He laughed nervously unable to look her in the eye. His intentions, his hopes, his future crumbled and she hadn't even said more than two words. She took his free hand suddenly realising she had broken his heart, as he had done once to her, and it strangely wasn't very satisfying. Suddenly her audience was forgotten, she needed to let him down softly "I'm sorry Ethan, but I did say I had moved on".

Their eyes met again and for a moment both were taken back to an intimate time in their lives when holding hands came naturally. Ethan did recall her saying that. He was just too stubborn and egocentric to take her word for it. They had been standing outside the mansion of the Police Commissioner, she had introduced him to her partner. An awkward exchange where he had felt surprisingly a little threatened. And that's when the penny dropped. "Well, if we can't have lunch do you think this little one's daddy will give me an interview as compensation?"

She made a half laughing noise and smiled "Probably not."

He nodded and licked his dry lips; she just told him all he needed to know. "Will he kick my arse if I kissed you good-bye then."

"Probably"

"Can I do it anyway?"

She nodded slightly, not really wanting him too but feeling like she owed him some form of closure, even though he never gave her the same courtesy when he left her all those years ago. She dropped his hand when he leant down and softly kissed the corner of her mouth. He lingered trying to savour the moment unwilling to accept this would be the last time their lips met.

She pulled away first "Let me walk you to your car, Ethan."

She followed him out leaving the whispers and nosey secretaries to their own assumptions and conclusions. Looking over her shoulder she caught Agent Doggett standing at the door watching them leave. She wondered how much he had seen and hoped it was enough to keep him off her back.

Mulder kicked his shoes off as he entered the apartment and then, remembering whose apartment he was in picked them up and sat them neatly beside the door. "Hello?" he called into the quiet room loosening his tie and unbuttoning the tight collar of his shirt. He was tempted to undo his belt buckle and fly too, but again realised this wasn't the right apartment.

"In here." Scully's voice wafted down from her bedroom, he followed its path to find her lying on her bed reading. Files and books were scattered around the floor along with her laptop, an empty pizza box and the dregs of a spiced apple iced tea. Well at least there was evidence she had actually done some work today a complete contradiction to what she was doing now which was frantically scanning her eyes back and forth across the pages of a non-work book. Her bottom lip was held tight between her teeth. Whatever she was reading it was good enough to not even notice him enter the room. Mulder squinted a little to make out the illustration on the cover of the book. It was a man with giant shoulders wearing nothing but a kilt and a blond maiden that was draped around his waist. He couldn't make out the full title but the words 'celtic' and 'heat' had been capitalised in bold gold lettering to highlight their significance. She was lying on her back head slightly raised on a pillow, hair spilled messily over it. Her knees were drawn up and the book was resting on them in front of her. Her eyes continued to volley over the pages quickly. Whatever she was reading it was obviously more interesting than him walking in to see her.

"Scully?" he tried.

She didn't skip a beat "shhh just let me finish this chapter."

He wasn't a patient man and her wearing her glasses had sparked the memory from earlier today. Like an indignant child who was being ignored by his Mommy he launched himself forward and belly flopped right next to her on the bed. She bounced violently but didn't appear to miss a word of the story stopping only to flick to the next page. He blew out an exaggerated breath to try and win her attention and she responded by flicking another page over, her lip returned to between her teeth. Rolling on his side he traced his finger over her arm, which got him a sharp snap on the wrist. Now he was very curious as to what held her attention so intensely so started to read a few sentences from the pages of her book. His eyebrows hit his hair line; Mr Celtic man was showing the fair maiden a thing or two about heat and was apparently generating a fairly warm response inside of her. Suddenly Scully slammed the book shut, she smiled and closed her eyes making a sound that fell somewhere between contentment and satisfaction. Mulder let her gather her bearings, watching her slightly amused. When she had gathered her thoughts again she threw the book with her glasses on the bedside table and rolled to face him.

"Hi, you're back."

He laughed "You noticed. What on Earth were you reading Scully?"

She tinkered with the collar of his shirt and began pulling the knot open in his tie. "I'd had enough of researching the 'factual' and mythological reports and fables of mermaids, Mulder. There really isn't a whole lot to your case, but I've highlighted some points for you." She pulled the now loose tie from his collar and threw it on the bed behind him. "I made a few calls and gathered a bit more information about the men who died on the boat." She looked back up at him. "I'm sorry to disappoint you but I don't think you are going to find any mermaids, Mulder." She finished matter of factly. "I needed a mental break from my laptop screen."

Smiling he started to recite and re-enact the final paragraph of her chapter. His narrative tone was laced with sarcasm and exaggerated expression, "He laced his fingers through her golden locks, the fragile, shimmering strands getting caught slightly through the deep creases of his palms that had grown rough from years in the harsh plains of the North." He pushed his fingers through her hair as he spoke. She smirked, a little embarrassmed that he had seen what she had been reading. Not noticing or caring he grabbed her hips and rolled her so she came to be sitting astride him, her smirk changed to a smile as he carried on with his narrative. "Taking her roughly into his strong arms he pulled her astride him, placing her firmly down so she could feel the size of his man hood between her quivering thighs. She moaned into the night air…" He paused his story and gave her a questioning stare expecting her too act her part out in his little play. Instead of 'moaning,' however, she raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him. Disappointed, he decided to carry on anyway, 'He ran his hands over her trembling thighs and up her back pulling her down so she could whisper softly in his ear." True to his word he carried out the actions of the story pulling Scully down over him until her lips brushed his ear, hoping she would play along and finish the 'fair maidens' line of the story. "Her breath was heavy, her voice a whisper when she spoke….." he prompted.

Scully kissed the shell of his ear gently then whispered seductively "Make dinner for me….". Then she buried her face into the crook of his neck and laughed silently.

He scoffed throwing his hands off her and onto the mattress "You're no fun. That was not the line in your story! And how can you be hungry you just ate a whole pizza."

Her belly had become too big to stay comfortably in this position; it was pushing painfully into him so she pushed herself back into a sitting position, using his shoulders as leverage. He watched her sitting astride him ironing out the creases in her muscles over her expanding waist line with the heels of her hands. He felt a nervous surge of adrenaline pump through his body, slight panic arising. When did that happen? When did 'hey Scully's pregnant' turn into 'hey look at that, there is actually a real live little person growing in there.'

She saved him from his little moment of panic. "I think you'd look pretty cute in a kilt." Pushing with her legs she levered herself up and off of him. "That pizza was afternoon tea and that was at least three hours ago." She gathered her notes and computer from the floor and started walking down towards the kitchen.

Mulder got up grabbed the book she had left behind and followed her into the kitchen. "Well, ordering pizza is the only dinner I really know how to cook." He left the book next to the things she had put down on her table and jumped to sit on her kitchen bench. He watched her open her fridge and start to pull out a few containers and plates of left overs neatly wrapped in cling film. A bottle of mineral water flew out at him and he caught it, just before it hit him in the chest. "Got a beer instead?"

Rolling her eyes she snatched the water back and replaced it with a cold Shiner Bock. She reluctantly let go of the cold brew. "Argh I've been staring at that all week. You have no idea how much I've been craving that beer."

He spun the top off and flicked it into the sink. She watched him enviously as he drank thirstily from the bottle. "Aaaaah" his satisfaction greatly exaggerated for her benefit. He nudged his chin gesturing for her to come over to him. She took three slow cautious steps that landed her between his open knees. Tilting her chin with his index finger he pressed an open mouth kiss on her lips, lingering so she could taste the malty hops of the beer.

His lips were ice cold and the taste of the beer still lined the edges of his mouth. Her shoulders slumped "mmmmmm" she ploughed into his mouth, tongue, lips, teeth nothing was held back. He braced his hand behind himself before she managed to push him off completely and held on for the ride. Finally she stood back, eyes closed, licking her lips like a cat that got the cream. "Mmmm, that was so good."

He laughed at her. "I might save the rest for later."

Dinner consisted of picking at left overs and fighting over mythical sea creatures and marine biology. It had felt like old times and now he was lying in the dark staring at her roof listening to the light traffic and wind outside her window, sounds only drowned out by her breathing that had become more laboured recently while she slept. Tonight when they made love for the first time he felt this baby. The thing they never talked about had literally, physically manifested itself between them. He had struggled to concentrate despite her reassurances that he wasn't hurting her he could feel this thing literally growing between their bodies. Every time his straining abdominals clashed with her round belly he was forced to think about what it really was growing within her. He studied her face and marvelled at the colour of her hair, her eyes. The way the tendons in her slight neck tensed then relaxed as her chest rose and fell. Her arms were so slight and yet so powerful. She was beautiful; she was everything. What the hell was wrong with him? It was too much pressure so he had rolled to lay behind her, spooning her back close against his front, he had entered her from behind finishing in this position where his mind and body could block out the panic that was starting to take up a permanent residence in his psyche. As they lay there still connected breathless in the aftermath, he could sense the hurt and confusion within her. He was desperate to make it better but words just didn't seem enough and as usual failed him "Scully, I.." He breathed into her ear.

"It's fine Mulder." She said unconvincingly. "I'm tired. It's been a big week; let's just get some sleep ok." She had tapped the hand that still gripped her hip and subtly moved away from him.

Great, that's what every man wants to hear from the woman he just made love to. The intense chill that ran over the front of his body amplified the distance between them as she disconnected from him. 'I'm an arse, I'm an arse, I'm such a gigantic arse!' Was the mantra repeating in his mind before he finally went off to sleep. When he woke his hand had drifted to her swollen stomach. Before he realised he was awake and what was happening, he had felt the baby move. It was the first time he had laid a hand on her belly since the pregnancy had become obvious and now all he could do was stare as something rolled and pushed against his palm. Not just something, a baby. A tiny human that shared his DNA and meant so much to her. Instead of feeling wondrous by it though, all he could feel was that panic, heart pumping, chest tightening fear. He had faced his own mortality over and over. Come up against monsters found only in your worst nightmares and nothing scared him more than what lay beneath his sweating palm. And now he was staring at her ceiling, his instincts telling him to run. The devil on his shoulder told him she and this child were better off without him anyway. The angel maintained the martyr 'you're an arse, you're an arse you're an arse.' Not even his subconscious was on his side.

His cell phone offered a reprieve, vibrating on the table next to the bed. Scully stirred but didn't wake, rolling over onto her back. He slipped his boxers on and grabbed the phone leaving to take the call without disturbing her. 'Hello' He answered quietly retreating to her kitchen he held the phone in the crock of his neck as he pulled the fridge open and cracked the lid on one of those mineral waters.

'Is this, Agent Fox Mulder?'

He wiped his mouth on his wrist "That depends who's asking". He didn't recognise the female voice on the other end of the phone and no-one called him at 3am to talk about something good.

'I'm sorry my name is Dr Catherine Stevens. I'm a biologist calling from Sunset Bay. I have been called to look at some evidence in the murder of two sailors in the area; I believe you were sent the case to review by the sheriff here.'

"Yes,"

'Well the bodies washed up tonight and' she paused sounding awkward, her tone changed when she picked up her sentence. "I understand you're division of the FBI deals with cases that have' she paused, treading delicately, 'Unusual or unexplainable evidence.'

"I guess you could say that. What have you got?"

'Well, I'd much rather show you. Is there any chance you could meet me. Come and look for yourself?'

He looked down towards the bedroom where Scully lay asleep. "When?"

'How soon can you get here?'

He was still looking down toward the bedroom. 'You're an arse, you're an arse, you're an arse.' Could he leave now? Would she forgive him again? He needed to take some time to think, this could be an opportunity to face his demons. He closed his eyes disgusted with himself. "Let me pack a bag. I can be there in a few hours."

'Great thanks. I'll see you when you get here.'

He didn't say goodbye when he disconnected the call and Scully never woke when he kissed her and left.

Ironically Mulder arrived at Sunset Bay right on Sunrise. It wasn't lost on him. He is, after all, the king of contradiction. He could easily see where the town got its name from though. If sunset was anything like sunrise this town might just be the most beautiful place he had ever seen. The kaleidoscope of colour reflecting off the water was breath-taking; the perfect mirror image of more red, orange and yellow combinations than he had ever seen in his life. On the opposite side of the road the houses were just as impressive. He could tell instantly you needed to have money to live in this area. The tall fences, polished wood and uniform dull colouring suggest aristocrat money, old money. Not young, rich and famous actors but perhaps scholars, Doctors, lawyers and such. His head hurt already thinking about it. He looked down at the makeshift map he had scribbled on her 'things to do' pad that sat magnetised to her fridge. The directions were relatively simple. Sunset Bay was apparently a small community. That thought made his head hurt even more. A sleeping town was a good town to be entering when you were driving a rental car and wearing an FBI badge. The less people who knew the feds were in town on a case like this the better. He was driving slow enough to navigate his phone menu as well as the road so he decided to give Dr Stevens a call and let her know he wasn't far away. She answered on the fifth ring, sounding just as exhausted as him.

"Dr Stevens?" He put on his FBI voice this time.

'Hi, yes. Good morning Agent Mulder, please call me Cat.' She sounded a lot more casual.

"I'm just pulling into town. You should see me within the next ten minutes."

'Great, you made good time. The morgue is out the back of the medical centre. The building is unmarked but easy enough to find.'

He disconnected the call without the farewell pleasantries normal, friendly people exchanged at the end of a phone call. Ten minutes later he was turning into the back of Sunset Bay Medical that consisted of a medical clinic, x-ray, laboratory and physical therapy centre. The only building not marked was obviously the morgue and judging by the size, not needed very often. As he pulled next to the only car in the deserted car park he decided to make the adult decision to call his partner. After all, he was likely to need to send her these bodies and despite the last twelve hours and the stack of unresolved personal discussions he left sitting on the shelf in her bedroom, they had a job to do. It was still very early and he knew her alarm wouldn't have gone off yet, so wasn't surprised it took many rings before she answered. He pictured her waking up and realising she was alone, probably ditched again. He wondered if once she discovered he was no longer there whether she looked at the ringing phone and actually debated whether or not to answer it. When the call connected he was met with only silence, he waited a beat, expecting the usual 'Scully.' When it didn't come he suspected he had guessed right, she knew who was on the other end. "Scully?" he feigned ignorance.

"Where are you?"

The coldness of her voice almost froze the phone to his hand. This wasn't starting well. "Sunset Bay." He tried to sound a bit warmer in the hope of defrosting her a little. The only response he got was a large sigh. "I got a call from a Biologist early this morning, the bodies of our missing sailors washed up on the beach and she wanted our expertise," he was careful to emphasize the word 'our'. "She needed me to see the bodies before the town woke up and started asking questions."

She had her Special Agent voice on. "Why us?"

"There's something unusual about the bodies."

"Unusual? What was so unusual?"

He started to panic a little. This conversation was on a one way spiral down the drain "Um, I'm not exactly sure yet." He no-longer sounded confident.

"Well did she see any evidence of your mermaids?"

"Well she, um, she mentioned that, um, well." He stumbled "No, she didn't mention Mermaids." He could feel himself starting to sweat.

"She?"

"Yes, Dr Catherine Stevens"

"Catherine Stevens" She repeated the words carefully like she was swirling something new and salty in her mouth.

"Cat." He clarified and then cursed himself for it. The urge to punch himself in the leg was strong and almost as painful as the silence on the other end of the phone as his partner absorbed that piece of useless information.

"Her name is Cat Stevens?"

Mulder decided there was no safe way to proceed so he chose silence instead.

"Where did she get called in from?"

"I don't know."

"Is she FBI?"

"I don't know."

"Do you know what kind of speciality she has in the biology field?"

Gurgle,gurgle, gurgle. Down the drain he was going. He pushed his fingers into his eyes "No."

The silence on the other end of the line gave him time to formulate a valid argument for leaving her bed in the middle of the night without waking her and telling her where he was going. He was going to start with, 'I haven't ditched you Scully'. He considered throwing in an apology and then argue things like 'professional courtesy' and the responsibility he held to follow leads of what clearly was an X-File. "Look, I know this doesn't make much sense yet Scully, but.."

"No. Actually. It makes perfect sense, Mulder." Her response was calm, too calm. Agreeable was not her style. He was most certainly in trouble.

Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle.

He inhaled deeply trying to ward off the headache that would no doubt be with him for the remainder of this case. Despite their crumbling personal relationship they had an obligation to maintain a professional one. After all they still had a job to d; a case to solve. That devil on his shoulder whispered into his ear and his words flicked back to business "I'm sorry I woke you, I just thought you should know I have accepted the responsibility of solving this case, Agent Scully. And that any evidence, including the bodies I am about to inspect will be sent back to you for analysis. I hope I can count on your scientific expertise and assistance on this case." Why did that devil want to hurt her so? 'You're an arse' the angel whispered in his other ear. She'd given up trying to save him years ago.

"Well, Agent Mulder in my expert opinion, I would suggest you establish we actually have a case to investigate first. I start at nine. You know where to reach me."

 

 

 

He desperately wanted to throw the phone out the window. He could watch it disintegrate against the concrete and see its inside spill ceremoniously over the cold ground like his were trying to do inside of him. Maybe if he reversed the car over it a few times, he would feel a little better. He was sure Scully wouldn't mind if he threw himself under the wheel right now. He was an arse. That smug little devil had jumped off his shoulder leaving him with an angel standing their hanging her head in shame. Not wanting to risk another cell phone bill he thumped the undeserving steering wheel instead and then buried his heavy head against it. A sharp wrap on the window startled him and he looked up to see a woman peering through the glass. She wore black, square framed glasses usually reserved for fantasies of librarians and School teachers.

"Agent Mulder?" Her voice was slightly muted by the thick glass. "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, give me a minute." If only a minute would help him. What he wouldn't give to lose the last nine. It's happened before, why couldn't it happen when it was most convenient?

He patted down his chest and waist mentally checking off his badge, wallet and gun. In his business these were the essentials required for meeting someone new. Dr Stevens had stepped away from his door giving him room to get out of the car. "Are the bodies inside?" He asked as a way of an introduction.

"Ah yeah." She had her hand out stretched in preparation of a handshake. He looked from her hand to her face and found her smiling brightly. Of course she just happens to be one of those overtly happy types, he realised. That is just what he needed right now. As if his morning could get any worse. Cautiously he took her hand taking a cursory scan up and down as he did. She was tall, almost meeting his eye and slim. She wore long black silk pants that sat low on her hips, flat soled shoes and a button up, floral patterned silk blouse that was tucked tidily into her pants. Her skin was sun kissed tan accompanied with a spatter of freckles over her nose and cheeks. Her hair was sandy blonde and extremely long if the giant bun that sat on top of her head was anything to go by. "I'm Cat." She announced proudly, still grinning wildly.

He didn't smile back instead dropped her hand and moved towards his boot to collect his bag. "Fox Mulder."

"Hi Fox, nice to meet you."

His head popped out from the now open boot "Actually, I prefer Agent Mulder."

"Really? Well I much prefer Fox." She replied, walking back towards the open door of the morgue. He watched her disappear back into the building, gathered his bag and slammed the boot of his rental harder than necessary. Lucky he was used to strong minded woman he thought and a small smile stretched his tight lips as he followed her into the building.

The morgue consisted of one big room divided into three parts by half-wall petitions. One third was a small lab, the second was where the autopsies were performed and the third was the refrigerators for the bodies. He noted there was only room for two. Dr Stevens – Cat was standing in the middle third between two metal slabs with body shaped white sheets on top of them. "If you insist on calling me Fox, I may have to call you Yusuf."

Her hands went to her hips, although she didn't appear offended. "You won't be the first."

He gave a genuine smile then "I'm curious, why Cat? Why not Kate or Catherine or Dr Stevens for that matter? Surely your overpriced education has given you the right to be called that."

"My parents were hippies, Fox. I was born in a hippy commune underneath the birthing tree, my father strumming 'moon shadow' on his guitar. I'm lucky actually, if it wasn't for my mother insisting on calling me Cat, my father would have named me 'moonshadow'"

Mulder chuffed a short laugh, he was surprisingly intrigued by someone who, like him, had been given an unfortunate name and yet unlike him, wore it proudly.

"I'm proud of my name it represents where I came from. I was born amongst nature and that fuelled a passion to understand it. That's why I became a biologist." She eyed him curiously through her thick frames. "What about you there has to be a story behind that name? Do you have American Indian ancestors, Fox?"

He laughed outwardly then "Not even close, just parents with an unusual sense of humour."

She pulled back the sheets then to reveal the two men pulled out of the ocean that morning. An over powering smell of sea life and decay hit Mulder with such a force his hand quickly shot up to cover his mouth and nose. The smell of death he was somewhat accustomed to, but as a sufferer of significant sea sickness the smell of the ocean/death combination was proving to be more than he could handle.

Cat looked concerned "I'm sorry, Fox. I thought you would be used to seeing things like this."

"No, no that's ok, I am." He waved his free hand at her "It's just that smell, God what is that?"

Cat pulled the sheets completely away from the bodies "Sargassum Muticum Wireweed."

Mulder was careful to hold his hand to his face but took a few steps closer to the middle of the room. His eyes wide in the wonder of finding something new and unusual, he could see straight away why she thought to call him. Each man was naked, their bodies tangled in, what appeared to the layman's eye, a thick red seaweed. The arms and legs were intricately bound together by the deep red weed and long leafed limbs extended up their arms and legs like a vine climbing a tree.

Cat's eyes were volleying between Mulder and the bodies as he circled each body bending down to examine them at different times. She was patiently awaiting him to offer her some explanation but he appeared much more shocked than she had expected him to be. He was currently examining the large abrasion that spread across the torso of one of the bodies.

"What do you think caused this?" He pointed along the straight edge of the reddened wound now soggy and yellowing from being soaked in sea water.

Cat moved to stand directly beside him. "I think that was made from some sort of sea creature. This one has the same mark on his back." She pointed to the other body sitting on the slab.

The smell had dulled a little for Mulder, allowing him to uncover his face again. "What do you think happened to these men?" He always liked to hear a rational person try and explain the bizarre evidence before he threw his spooky theory out into the wind.

"Well, the most obvious theory is that these men were bound by the weed and then thrown in to the ocean. The reason I called you is this weed, while it is a common species of Sargassum it is non-existent in the waters that surround this bay. Its reproductive cycle is very rapid." She pointed to the wrists of one of the victims. "The weed used for the shackles is older than this weed that extends up their limbs. This tells me it has been sitting in the water growing over the last few days. The part that puzzles me is if these bodies had been sitting at the bottom of our bay growing this weed for the past few days. Given the rapid reproduction of this particular species of Sargassum and its ability to overpopulate an ocean space in the matter of a few hours, I'm left wondering why we can't find any evidence of it along the shore line."

Mulder shook his head Marine Biology was never listed under his fields of expertise.

"And then there is this." Cat moved to the head of the autopsy table grabbing a metal spatula looking tool off the table as she passed. Mulder intrigued moved closer to her and peered over her shoulder as she hunched over the first victims face and began prying open his mouth. The same weed spread over his arms and legs now crept out of his mouth like a giant tarantula coming out of its hole in the ground. She looked to Mulder for explanation. "It appears to extend down his oesophagus." Mulder shook his head in disbelief. "I've never seen a seaweed act like this, Fox. I just can't formulate an explanation for the sheriff that makes any sense." She wished he would jump up and offer something that resembled an explanation. Perhaps the fact that maybe he had seen something like this before instead of just standing there looking the bodies up and down with his hand covering his face again.

"Have we confirmed the ID?" He asked instead.

"Yes, this is James Harvey the groom and Ben Stottle his best man. We will need family to formally identify them but I've seen the pictures. These are definitely the two sailors that went missing, Fox."

"Wrap 'em up, Yusuf."

She didn't look impressed.

"If you insist on calling me Fox, I'll have to resort to calling you Yusuf. You tell people in this town that Cat and Fox are on the case and you may as well call me Yosemite Sam" He offered in way of an explanation.

"Yosemite what?"

Mulder looked genuinely shocked "Your parents never put you in front of television did they?"

"I was home schooled. We played music, read poetry and sang. Much more entertaining and beneficial to developing the human mind than anything I have seen on television as an adult."

"Heston?"

"Gazuntite."

"Albert Finney, Charlie Chaplin, Marlin Brando?" He tried. She was still looking at him like he was speaking in tongues "Al Pacino?"

Finally she looked like she understood "Wait. Is he the guy from 'Titanic'?"

"You might just be one of the strangest people I have ever met. Trust me, Cat, coming from me that means a lot."

"Fine, Fox, can we get back to these bodies please. What do I do with them once they are wrapped up?"

"Wrap 'em up to go and put a Washington sticker on them. My partner at the F.B.I will perform the autopsy's and maybe help you out with a better explanation than Davey Jones's Locker."

"Ok. That sounds good." She started to cover the bodies with the sheets again. She was just about finished when it occurred to her how unusual it was that he was here alone. "Wait, if she is your partner why didn't she come with you?"

"Uh. She has a medical condition." God, that sounded lame in his head. "Just temporary." He was ridiculous "She is off field work at the moment, light duties. You know until she…" He was stuck on how to finish that sentence. They never talked about what happens after that.

Cat looked a little green "Gosh Fox, what's wrong with her?"

"No, nothing like that, it's not serious or anything. She's um, well she's pregnant."

"Well that's exciting. Gee Fox I may not be a 'medical' Doctor but the last time I looked 'pregnant' didn't come under the 'medical conditions' category."

He smiled awkwardly really just wanting to change the subject. "I thought that maybe you could go back down to where the bodies were found."

"Ok, I'll get the sheriff to bring the families in this morning. Confirm the ID's before I send them to your partner. Then I'll go back to the Bay. I'd like to get some samples. If I do find evidence of this Sargassum in these waters, I can't stress enough how badly that can affect the ecosystem of a small bay like this."

"Great, that sounds important." Mulder replied, trying to think of a way to subtly push his own agenda. "Hey while you are there, see if you can find any evidence of what could have made those laceration marks on the victims."

"I did look at those. Your partner will have to examine them a bit more closely when she does the autopsy but my preliminary conclusion is that those marks were made by a large fish. Most likely an Eel."

"An Eel. Ok I'm thinking more like a mermaid."

"Excuse me, did you say Mermaid?"

"The only surviving sailor on board that boat says he saw Mermaids swim up to the vessel and lure these two men into the water."

Cat laughed a good hearty laugh that made tears drop on the lens of her glasses. "Mermaids! Fox *you* may be the strangest person I have ever met. Oh and trust me where I come from, *that* is really saying something." She threw his words back at him.

"This place doesn't seem to be the kind where you would find a lot of Eels is it?"

She composed herself a little "It would be unusual for an Eel but far more plausable than seeing a mermaid sitting on the rocks."

He smiled at her then turned to leave. "Oh baby, baby it's a wild world." He half sung, half yelled as he walked out the door.

"Ok anytime you are ready to quit the Cat Stevens jokes is fine with me." She yelled to his back. She figured he didn't or wouldn't hear her and huffed. A smile broke out across her face. What had she stumbled into?

Mulder threw his overnight bag onto the large hotel bed and breathed in the sea air. The advantage of being in a town like 'Sunset bay' is there were no crappy hotels. You only had a choice of two and both held five stars. His large glass sliding doors opened onto a small balcony that held a table and deck chairs made for two. He closed his eyes and breathed in deep. The sounds of the ocean surrounded him, seagulls squawking, waves crashing against the rocks and lapping against the shore. This might just be paradise and how typical it was that this time he was here alone. He turned his back on the beautiful scene in front of him and dug inside his pockets for his phone. The screen showed what he expected to find anyway: no missed calls. He pushed the contacts icon and scanned through A's B's he got to R's before he chickened out again and returned his phone to his pocket. A shower and breakfast he decided would be needed before anymore confrontations this morning so he shuffled out of his sneakers and shirt and went looking for a bathroom. He had spent many years as a field agent in little hotels around this fine country. He was a seasoned hotel bathroom user. He knew where to find the mould and the cockroach bait. Well, there would be no cockroaches or mildew in this case. The bathroom was almost the size of the bedroom. His first thought was of Scully how she would love this place. There was a large porcelain bathtub with four golden clawed feet, his and her basins and a shower with two water heads. He could almost hear the crystal sparkles bounce off the glass around him. Not wanting to waste any time he scrambled out of his pants, socks and boxers while simultaneously turning the faucet that activated both shower heads. Steam immediately started filling the bathroom; he was just about to step in when there was a knock on the door. He looked between the shower and the door a few times contemplating whether or not he could get away with pretending he didn't hear it when whoever it was knocked even louder. His shoulders slumped with disappointment, they weren't going anywhere. Hastily he picked up his jeans pushing one leg in then hopping as he tried to maintain momentum and balance while getting the other leg into the trousers. He was at the door by the time he was up to zipping the fly so he left the top button and pulled it open.

Cat seemed to pale almost instantly when he opened the door making him wish he had checked to see who it was before he answered half undressed.

"Fox!" She exclaimed seeming shocked. Why couldn't she get her eyes to lift to his face? They were fixated on his bellybutton suddenly far too fascinated at watching his hands slip that little button through its loop. "I'm sorry" she stumbled 'look up, look up, look up' her brain was instructing her eyes but they just weren't paying attention. 'up, up look up Cat!' They made it to the centre of his chest. "I um just wanted to ah." Why had she come here again?

"Sorry Dr Stevens, I was just getting in the shower, let me get a shirt." He went to turn.

"No!"

He turned back slowly a little confused, why did he suddenly feel incredibly uncomfortable.

"Sorry, I won't stay long." She finally looked him in the eye "I just need your partners name so I can send these bodies to Quantico."

"Oh right, sorry here I'll write it down for you."

He seemed to walk in slow motion as he turned his back to her then bent down to scribble on a note pad sitting on the small table beside his giant bed. Her head tilted a little of its own accord, soaking up the view. When he ripped the piece of paper from the pad her head snapped back up again. She adjusted her glasses on her nose and focused on the piece of folded paper he was handing to her, blushing furiously. "Thanks"

He closed the door without saying goodbye and all she wanted to do was crawl under a giant rock down on that beautiful beach and hide from him forever. She unpeeled the folded up piece of paper "Special Agent Dana Scully" she read out loud then shuffled back to her own room.

###

Mulder was finishing the knot on his tie when his phone rang. He didn't recognise the number on the caller ID. "Mulder"

'Agent Mulder, this is John Winter. I'm the Sheriff who arranged for Dr Stevens to take a look at these bodies that washed up on the beach last night. I believe she has involved you and the F.B.I in this case, something about your expertise in unusual phenomena?'

"Yes Sheriff. I was hoping to speak with the surviving sailor today. Can you tell me where I might find him?"

'Well that's what I am ringing to tell you Agent, I don't think your services are needed any longer. I know the information you received was spouting nonsense about mermaids but it turns out this man was suffering from Decompression Sickness. He fell unconscious this morning after a significant seizure. They had to take him East for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. I'm afraid his original statement is sounding more and more ridiculous by the minute and more than likely delusional ramblings.'

Deep lines formed between Mulders brows. "I'm sorry Sheriff, are you no longer treating these deaths as suspicious?"

'Well with no evidence of anyone else on the boat and such an unreliable statement from the only witness it is starting to look as though this was a diving accident rather than sailors being pulled off their boats and drowning.' The good Sheriff sounded confident.

"And the seaweed?" Mulder pushed.

'Yeah, they must have got tangled up.'

"So Sheriff your explanation is what? That three men boarded a boat, stripped naked and went deep sea diving to unfortunately be meticulously shackled by sea weed that doesn't even exist in your waters."

'It was a bucks party, Agent Mulder.'

Why did people keep offering that as a valid explanation? "Thanks for the information Sheriff, I think I'll stick around for a while longer. I was just heading to your office I'll see you soon." He disconnected the call and headed out the door.

He never expected a warm welcome from local authority, frankly he didn't care for tea and cake, just co-operation so at least the Sheriff and Deputy of Sunset Bay were extending him that courtesy. He had been allocated a windowless office, he suspected the worst in this building, but it had a desk with a swivel chair and even a computer and phone; everything he needed. He had the files of the three men open on his desk. James Harvey, Ben Stottle and Aaron Dun. All Caucasian, all early thirties, all lawyers. They had attended the same law school together, each qualifying top of their class and had obviously become good friends as they opened their own law firm together as soon as they passed the bar exam. They were all 'upper class' American citizens with fathers who were lawyers or judges and mothers who could afford to shop at Prada. Ben and Aaron were married and James was engaged to be married in a little over a month. None of them were from this area or had family or property in the bay but had flown in for the weekend for James' bucks party. Mulder wondered what the appeal of this area for a bucks party was given that there didn't seem to be much of a night life. That he had passed anyway. Unless they came for the seafood and beach? He didn't buy it something was missing but as expected when a lawyer is found dead and tangled in seaweed most of the information, including their movements over the evening, had been removed by their lawyers.

The door to his office opened and the smell of coffee followed the sound of woman's heels tapping the hard wood floor. "They told me I'd find you in here."

He looked up and into a now familiar pair of black framed glasses.

"I thought you might like a coffee. I assumed you take it black." Cat smiled

"Thanks." He took the hot Styrofoam cup from one of her hands and blew over the top of it before taking a sip.

He went straight back to what he was working on, not giving her a second glance so she dragged a spare chair to sit next to him at the desk. "I spoke to your partner."

Mulder stopped suddenly, almost spilling his coffee when he turned to her. "You talked to Scully?"

"Yeah, not the warmest person is she?"

He smirked.

"I just wanted to make sure she had received the bodies and make sure they were still in the condition I sent them in and she nearly bit my head off."

He laughed a little then.

Cat didn't think it was funny "Apparently I sent them to the wrong place at Quantico. You know you are sitting there laughing but I got the impression you aren't really flavour of the month either."

That got his attention "Why? What did she say?"

"Oh, nothing specific. Just a sense I got when we spoke about you."

He picked his phone up and opened it again, still no missed calls. Scully really was letting him sweat this one.

Cat sipped on her hot coffee and had a peek at the files he was reading. "Did you find anything?"

He flicked a few of the pages in front of him then rested back into his chair. "No. Not that I have much to go on, most of it has been censored. I can't help but feel like we are missing a giant piece of this puzzle."

"Well, Fox, I found something in the water." She loved that he looked so pleased with her saying that. She smiled at him and sipped at her coffee again.

"Don't tell me you saw a mermaid, Yusuf."

"I told you to stop calling me that."

"I told you I will call you that if you call me Fox."

"But that's your name isn't it? You should be proud of your name, it suits you. The fox is a master manipulator with an agile mind and strong wit."

Mulder ran his hand over his face and wondered if he had become a magnet for difficult woman. "What did you find?"

"Well I took water samples from varying positions around the bay and luckily found no evidence of our nasty seaweed friend. I did however find more of those scales." He was looking impressed again. "I took them back to the morgue lab for a closer look and you were right. They weren't from an Eel, in fact they weren't from any sea creature I have seen before."

Mulder sat forward in his chair "Really?"

"Don't get too excited, I don't think they were your mermaids either."

"Then what were they?"

"They were organic but unusually they were mostly synthetic."

Mulder's face fell "Synthetic? What does that mean, manmade, fake?

"I don't know Fox. I bagged them and sent them to your partner. Hopefully she might be able to get something off them. Although, I wasn't looking forward to calling and asking her."

"I'll talk to Scully." He rubbed his hands over his face again. He caught her watching him. "Cat, do you know much about this town?"

"No this is the first time I have been here, I live in California."

"California? Why did they call you in then?"

"I don't honestly know. I assumed it was because I was experienced in working this kind of coast line and in all honesty I tend to deal with the same population of people."

"I'm just trying to work out why they came here for the bucks party. There doesn't seem to be many bars, just a few nice restaurants really."

"Maybe they were water sports enthusiasts. That would explain the diving right?"

"You've spoken to the Sheriff." He stated matter of factly.

"Yes." She looked unsure of herself.

"Did you believe his story?"

She exhaled loudly, adjusting the grasp on her coffee in a nervous twitch. "I assumed the men drowned. The autopsy report will shed a little light on that. But I found no evidence of diving equipment, although he did say there was diving equipment on the boat. But that weed, Fox. Someone tied that weed around their wrists and ankles of that I am certain. And why were they naked?"

Mulder looked at his watch "There are a few more hours of daylight left. I'm going to see if I can have a look at that boat." He stood gathering his jacket from the back of his chair and hooking it with a finger over his shoulder. "Do you have any plans for the rest of the day?"

Cat stood from her own chair, trying to hide the little flutter of excitement in the prospect of spending the rest of the afternoon investigating with him. "No, I'm free until we hear back from your partner."

"Could you do me a favour?"

"I'm all yours." She adjusted her glasses unnecessarily.

"Could you ask around a few local shops and restaurants? See if you can find out why our groom wanted to spend the last of his bachelor days here with his best buddies in tow."

She suddenly felt flushed again, she had misjudged him. He didn't want to spend the afternoon with her after all "Ah sure. Yeah. Of course I can." She was nodding too much, her glasses definitely didn't need adjusting again but she did that anyway.

"Great thanks. I'll call Scully. Something tells me she isn't in a hurry to call me."

"Ok, we'll catch up later. I'm staying in the same hotel as you, two doors down in number nine. "She watched him leave before gathering up their half full coffee cups and followed behind him.

It was 8.00pm. She couldn't possibly still be working. She was definitely making him sweat this one out. She still wasn't answering her phone. He was sitting with his back against the head board on his very large, very comfortable hotel bed flicking through the hundreds of channels he had at his disposal. Not really paying attention to what was flashing past the millisecond he held on each one before flicking to the next. Without removing his jabbing finger from the up arrow on the remote he looked back over at his phone sitting on the little bureau next to him. "Dammit" he traded the remote for the phone again. He needed to talk to her, he needed to know what she found on those bodies. He pushed redial heavily into the receiver. She was going to talk to him whether she liked it or not. This was crazy she couldn't do this, it was unprofessional and…. and…

'Scully.' She finally answered.

"I'm an arse." He could hear every heart beat pounding in his chest as he waited for her to reply.

'Keep talking.'

"I'm a huge arse."

'Finally we agree on something.'

He smiled a genuine smile, laughing softly into the phone and the angel on his shoulder adjusted her halo. "I wish you were here. You should see this place Scully, it's beautiful." He heard a deep sigh on the other end of the phone. He wasn't off the hook yet. "Did you like the stiff I sent you?" She chuffed and his confidence built a little. She was always a sucker for his sly innuendo.

'It's definitely the most impressive 'stiff' I have seen this week'

"Ouch Scully. Ok I may have deserved that." He heard her soft laugh again. "Did you find anything?"

'Well, yes, actually. You may be a lot of things but in this case you were right. You have definitely found an X-File.' He didn't answer for a long time. 'Mulder?'

"I'm sorry, Scully. I'm still stuck on the part where you said I was right."

'Do you really think it is wise to be smug right now?'

"Sorry, carry on please. So I was right and…"

'And, these men were definitely murdered. They didn't drown, however, as your Biologist suggested. Death by drowning is associated with hypoxia and water in the lungs. These men died from the exact opposite hyperoxia. Oxygen toxicity. The unusual thing is I did find traces of sea water in their lungs and that, combined with the sea weed suggests they were, in fact, under the water when they died. The weed tied around their wrists and ankles was definitely not accidental either. It was knotted meticulously to ensure it couldn't break and the weed of the shackles is much newer than the weed growing up their limbs, suggesting it continued to grow post mortem.'

"Oxygen toxicity is what the surviving sailor has just been diagnosed with. So that definitely makes sense. What about the funky stuff in their mouths, Scully?"

'That's where it gets interesting. It appears the weed was rammed down their oesophagus with enough seawater and excessive oxygen making it rapidly reproduce throughout his large intestine and back up his oesophagus.'

He swallowed uncomfortably "Gee Sully, What do you think happened to these guys?"

She exhaled. 'One hell of a bachelor party. They had both had sex right before they died.'

They were both quiet as each formulated a theory in their heads. He had spent the afternoon scanning the boat the trio had taken out that night. It had been found floating alone with its sole confused survivor, by a passing vessel who radioed the local coastguard to bring it ashore. Local law enforcement had gone over the small boat the best they could with the equipment they had available but unfortunately, as it was a hire vessel there were too many prints for them to figure out who was with the sailors right before they died. There was alcohol and cigars found and nothing else, no identification or belongings; not even the sailors discarded clothes. By the time Mulder got to see the boat it had already been cleaned and re-used by the hire company. Mulder had questioned the owner who had confirmed that all of the diving gear had been left untouched by the three men that night. They had hired the boat earlier that day, therefore no one saw them take it out that night and the company didn't ask where it was going to be taken just how long it would be gone for. He was starting to formulate a theory. "Too much oxygen will kill you, but just a little extra than the 21% we breathe in our atmosphere has a euphoric effect right?"

'Yeah, there are actually bars around that sell oxygen for exactly that reason.'

"The sheriff thinks these guys had a diving accident but the diving gear on their boat was untouched. So either they used their own gear and it's at the bottom of the bay or whoever killed them took the equipment with them. Maybe it was some kinky under water sex thing that went horribly wrong."

'I'd agree with you if it wasn't for the sargassum in their stomachs. Someone forced that seaweed down their oesophagus's and judging by the lack of injury in the oral cavity, it was placed there post mortem.'

"Who would do that Scully and why?"

'The easy answer is their spouses; these guys obviously weren't big on monogamy. A vengeful spouse is always a popular theory except that it's such an elaborate murder. I did the research on these guys, their wives didn't seem like the types to pull something like this off. Unless they hired someone?'

Mulder flicked the TV off so he could concentrate, adjusting himself higher against the head board. "I don't buy it Scully."

'What about your mermaids, Mulder?'

"That reminds me, the scales. Did you get them?"

'Yes I left them with the lab tech. Do you really think they were mermaid scales?' her voice was laced with sarcasm.

"I guess we'll find out tomorrow."

She sighed deeply again. With the TV now off the silence seemed has long as the distance between them. Mulder cleared his throat adjusting his position awkwardly again. "I shouldn't have left like that this morning. I should have woken you and told you where I was going."

'Was that an apology?'

He rubbed his hand down his face, he really didn't want to fight with her again.

'It's not just you and me anymore Mulder. When you leave, when you run off to chase God knows what without telling me. Without getting me involved its…' she faltered calming her tone again. 'it's not just you and me anymore.' She repeated.

"I know." He sat up on the edge of the bed and looked out over the darkened bay beyond his glass sliding doors. He suddenly needed some air so he stood and went out onto the balcony.

'I can hear the ocean.' She sounded calmer this time.

"I'd like to bring you back here someday. I'm having fantasies about seeing you in that giant tub in the bathroom. Put a few candles around the room, bubbles, champagne.."

'Champagne?'

"Maybe some sparking apple juice."

'Sounds wonderful.'

"Scully?" he whispered

"Yes."

"What are you wearing?"

'Well I have officially grown out of all my pyjamas and have resorted to wearing one of your old Knicks jerseys and my sexy new maternity underwear.'

A knock on the door saved him.

He hurried back through the room to pull open his hotel door. Cat was standing on his step looking mighty pleased with herself holding a large bright photograph up in her hand. "I found your mermaids!" She exclaimed.

'Mulder?' He heard Scully again and wondered how long she had been saying his name.

"I've got to go Scully. I'll call you back." He shoved the phone in his pocket freeing up his hands to snatch the glossy print Cat was holding up "What!?"


	2. Chapter two

Cat had changed into black tights and a long knitted jumper that sat mid-thigh. Her hair was now out and hung in long curled locks almost to her waist. She was almost unrecognisable except for those glasses and the way she smiled almost constantly. He wasn't used to someone who was so outwardly happy all the time. Mulder was scanning the page, stepping aside to let her into the room. She closed the door behind her and started eagerly explaining what she had found while looking around for him that afternoon. "I was asking around a few restaurants like you asked me to this afternoon and really, in my female opinion, nothing looked worthy of catering to a wild bachelor party. Most of the restaurants are black tie. There are cocktail bars and clubs, but most had jazz bands or symphonies, not exactly what I thought these guys would have been big into. Anyway, I was at this restaurant, extremely formal and expensive. You know you couldn't buy a bottle of wine for less than $200, expensive. Anyway, this picture caught my eye."

Starring at the photo hadn't offered Mulder too many clues so he locked eyes with Cat, eager to hear what she was saying and certain she had found a chunk of the missing pieces to the puzzle of this case.

"The waiter saw me looking at this and clammed up. He wouldn't tell me what it was about, said it wasn't anything that I would be interested in. He tried to take it away from me but I managed to pocket it before I left. By the way I may have booked us a reservation for dinner at nine tonight." She looked at her watch then coyly up at him "I'm sorry, it's just that he wasn't going to cough up the info so I had to distract him." Mulder looked nervously at her. "I told him I had just got engaged and was here to celebrate, so I made the reservation and while he was tapping in the details I stole the picture."

Mulder looked back at the colourful image in front of him. The only word on the page was 'Merewif' and the picture was of what looked like a giant aquarium. It was only partially lit, giving the illusion of being deep under water. The bow of a large ship wreck was visible in the picture with gems sitting in the surrounding golden sand. Amongst the twisted metal of the ship's hull was a woman, although you could only just make her out as she peeped through the bars in the low light. Her hair was the most obvious thing about her, seeming to go on forever it must be well passed her bottom if she was standing out on dry land. The metal bars and ropes delicately covered most of her upper body but it was fairly obvious by the odd curve you could see, that she was naked from the waist up. Starting at her naval was a bright mass of scales that became lost behind pieces of ship only to reappear in what looked like a fin where her feet should have been. She wasn't looking at the camera, her eyes turned away as if she had been snapped unknowingly by a diver passing by.

Cat pointed at the word on the page. "'Merewif,' that means Mermaid right?!"

"Yeah, it's the old English word for mermaid." Mulder finally got a word in. "It seems unusual that the most expensive restaurant in town would be giving out photographs of alleged mermaid sightings."

"I don't think that's what it is. I think it's an advertisement." Said Cat

"An advertisement? For what?"

"I don't know an underground strip club or maybe working girls. Let's just say this picture is the first and only thing I have seen today that would appeal to a bachelor party."

Mulder tapped the photo against his hand and took his bottom lip between his teeth as he thought. "I need to talk to the owner of that restaurant." He put the photo on his bed and moved to grab his jacket and badge.

"Wait" Cat stopped him with a hand to his lower arm. "These people are caviar and lobster people, I'm telling you Fox, the starters at this place cost $85. I'd have to save a week's worth of wages to be able to afford a meal here."

He pulled his arm away from her "So?"

"So, I don't think the sheriff has advertised your involvement in this case and I was thinking seeing as how most of the information you have been given has been censored so much. Really, how much information do you think the patrons of a place like this will be willing to cough up for you? Especially if it is some kind of 'female entertainment' show."

He inhaled deeply through his nose and then blew it out his mouth. She was right he could wave his badge around all he wanted no-one was going to talk and he didn't have enough evidence to start handing out warrants. Especially in potentially a room of judges and lawyers. "What are you suggesting?"

"Why don't you take me to dinner? We have a reservation; just rub shoulders with a few of the guys at the bar. See if anyone has heard of a mermaid show."

He looked a little sea sick at her. "I don't have a black tie"

"I'm sure it will be easy enough to find someone in the hotel who does."

She had that giant smile on her face again. "Ok, but I hope you realise I may get fired if the FBI has to foot the bill for dinner at this place."

She laughed "I'll order the salad."

"And the iced water." He added.

"It's a date." She tapped him on the shoulder "Pick me up at 8.45. I'm two doors down. We can walk to the restaurant from here, it's not far."

What a place this was. Never in his life had he acquired a suit and bow tie so quickly. A quick call to reception was all it took and someone was knocking on his door with a freshly dry-cleaned suit in his size, in as little time as it took him to shave and dive through the shower. He knocked on Cat's door, adjusting his tie as he waited. It felt like it was cutting off his air supply. His white shirt was crisp and charcoal jacket sharp. He hadn't been this dressed up in years. Cat pulled the door open to greet him. She wore simple makeup and her hair long and curled. Her dress was forest green. It gathered under her breasts and then fell for miles to the floor. "What's wrong with your tie, Fox?"

"Argh the damn thing is trying to choke me to death; I must have knotted it too tight."

She smirked and took a step into his personal space, replacing his hands on the tie with her own. "Let me."

He extended his neck, tilting his chin and focus up towards the corner of the door frame giving her full access to his collar and bow tie.

She moved her fingers slowly watching him curiously as she loosened the silky fabric. He hadn't even blinked when she opened the door, she may as well of been wearing sweat pants and now they couldn't be standing any closer. How easily it would be to tilt her mouth just a little further up to his. Her thoughts were definitely taking a dive for the gutter and disappointingly he was looking like a twelve year old boy whose ugly great aunt was adjusting the tie he had been forced to wear for a cousins wedding or Bar-mitzvah. It was that moment that she realized that while they had been jovial since they had met, he never once looked at her 'in that way' and if he wasn't going to while she was standing this close to him in her best dress he wasn't likely to ever look at her like 'that'. She wondered what or who had his un-divided attention. Was the case really that big of a deal to him?

"Let's go." He said instead of thanks and left her standing there on her step fingers still tingling from running the tie over them. She stepped out and locked the door then hurried behind him to catch up.

When she reached him she hooked her hand through his elbow "Slow down, Fox. The restaurant isn't far, we'll make our reservation. I told them we were engaged remember, you are going to have to pretend you find me attractive." She threw her line over the side of the boat.

He looked over at her and then up and down as if he just noticed she was there. Then without saying anything he looked back ahead and kept walking. As they walked in awkward silence she reeled in her line. Her hook was still there but the fish had stolen her bait. Where was that rock to climb under again?

When they finally reached the door of the restaurant he paused as he took the large golden handle. "You look nice, Yusuf."

She decided on a better kind of bait and re-hooked the line. Adjusting her shoulders back to push out her chest she smiled sweetly at him. "Thank you, Fox. And if you call me that again I'll order the lobster." She pushed the door for them and walked into the restaurant first.

The host at the desk recognised her instantly "Ah, Madam, I have your table ready. Follow me please. Good evening Sir." He tipped his head at Mulder. "Right this way please."

Mulder followed behind Cat and the host taking the opportunity to scan the restaurant as they walked around the candle lit tables. There were sparkles coming from diamonds in the earrings of the woman and off the shine on the men's shoes. The profiler in him was on auto pilot, taking in body postures, facial expressions and types of groups. He looked at faces trying to place and memorise them as he went. He was concentrating so much on the room he almost walked into the back of the host when they reached their table. "Madam." He pulled out a chair for Cat and she sat down, keeping her back straight and chin forward. Mulder took the seat opposite nodding politely to the host, trying to encourage him to leave. Luckily he took the hint and with a click of his heals and nod of his head he left the pair to their menus. Cat picked up the drinks menu, settling comfortably in their little charade while Mulder was marinating over his vigilance of the room. A door caught his attention.

"I'm going to have a glass of wine." Said Cat, peering over the top of the menu and noticing that Mulder hadn't even picked his up yet. "Fox, are you going to have a drink?"

"No" he replied not looking over at her. He began to stand, "There is a door over there with 'gentleman's lounge' written on it. I'm going to check it out." He leant down on the table bending down slightly to focus on her briefly. "Order me a ginger ale or something." And then he was walking away from her again. She watched him disappear into the crowd as the waiter approached the table.

"Would you like to order a drink, madam?"

She watched Mulder close the door of the Gentleman's lounge behind him and looked up at the waiter standing at her side. "I'll have a vodka thanks, neat, no ice."

The host looked surprised "certainly Madam and for your companion?"

"He'll have an iced water."

"Certainly Madam, coming right up."

An hour and three vodkas later she was still sitting alone at their table watching the wax of the candle melt into tidy drops over the edge of the silver centre piece. Her chin was resting on her hand, elbow planted on the table as she looked up at the empty seat opposite her. The ice in his water had melted causing condensation to form on the outside of his glass. Vodka fog had started to cloud her brain making the reflecting light from the candle form pretty patterns in the drops of water. She leapt back into her chair when Mulder suddenly appeared, taking his seat and almost toppling the glass of water as he did.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." He said as she relaxed again. "We've got to go."

"What! No!"

He looked at her confused. "Pardon?"

"I got all dressed up." She noticed her words were slurring slightly from the alcohol. "You dragged me here, I got all dressed up and then you left. I've been sitting here for an hour waiting for you, Fox. The least you can do is let me eat."

He frowned over at her "Have you been drinking?"

"Maybe" She looked down at her napkin and started shifting the cutlery nervously.

"Well I think I just found a lead…."

"Tut!" She put her finger up to his face at lip level, stopping him from speaking further.

"You can tell me over dinner."

"Cat"

"Tut! You owe me dinner!"

The waiter appeared then "Are you ready to order?"

"Actually…" Mulder started

"Yes" Cat interrupted, picking up her menu to hand to the waiter. "I'll have the fish." She gave Mulder the death stare.

He carefully picked up the menu and briefly scanned the price list instead of the food, when he reached the lowest he matched it with the food item. "Ah, I'll have the fish too thanks."

"Very good" The waiter took both menus and tucked them under his arm "Anything else to drink?"

Cat looked up at him and smiled that huge smile of hers "Yes, another vodka please, Charlie."

"Neat, no ice." He smiled back finishing her sentence for her.

Apparently they are friends now, Mulder thought as he looked down at his drink. "I'm good thank you." He forced a smile and the Waiter left them to their awkward silence.

Mulder sipped his warming water wondering if he was going to be charged for it. He wasn't sure if she was going to let him finish a sentence so he decided not to be the one to start one.

Cat cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. "So, Fox, tell me more about yourself."

"Why?"

"Because I've had a lot of time to think this evening and it occurred to me that I've told you a lot about me but, well, I don't really know that much about you." The waiter arrived with her drink and she took a deep sip settling back into her chair to await a response

"I think I would much rather tell you what I found out about our case."

She swallowed another mouthful of vodka. It felt like fire in her belly, giving her magical powers. "We can get to that when dinner arrives, can't we just be two people out at a nice restaurant for the next twenty minutes."

His phone rang then saving him from an appropriate response. "Mulder" He answered.

'Agent Mulder, its Jim Winter speaking.'

"Yes Sherriff."

'I hope I'm not disturbing you?'

Mulder looked over at his tipsy companion. "Not at all how can I help?"

'We have another missing tourist. It seems he hired a boat last night and hasn't met his arrival time at the hire company. His friends were expecting him back this evening and when he didn't arrive they reported him missing.'

"Was he alone?"

'Ah no, Agent Mulder he had a female companion.' The sheriff replied awkwardly.

"Sheriff what can you tell me about an island called 'Merewif'?"

'Well it's a private island off the coast here.'

"And you didn't think to tell me about that given that it is most likely where these missing men were the night they were murdered."

The sheriff took a long time to answer. 'It's a private Island, Agent Mulder. Outside our jurisdiction and I also told you I don't think those men were murdered.'

"So why are you telling me about your missing tourist tonight. Are you afraid they had an 'accident' as well?"

'I'm merely extending a professional courtesy considering your investigation.'

"Thank you Sheriff." He hung up.

Cat was almost through her vodka but her magical powers felt like they were fading. Her interest in Mulder had been replaced with her interest for what was said in that phone call. "What was that about?"

"Another missing tourist." Mulder stated flatly.

"And what is 'Merewif?'"

Mulder sat back in his chair looking smug "Didn't you want to hear about my childhood first?"

She smiled smugly back at him. "You know while I was here, alone, thinking, for a whole hour, alone." She repeated "Something interesting did occur to me about the water samples I took today and the sargassum shackles. I think it might really help with the investigation"

"Really, and what might that be?"

She tilted her empty vessel and watched the last drops of liquid run across the bottom of the glass "You first. What is Merewif?"

Mulder's eyes narrowed and he grinned "You are a 'hard headed woman'."

Another Cat Stevens joke; he really was original in his attempts at teasing her, like she hadn't heard it her whole life. She looked up at his cheeky face "Are you looking for a hard headed woman?" She threw a line of the song back at him seductively.

He laughed. "I already have one."

She looked surprised. Did he mean her? Was he finally nibbling on her hook? She felt excited and determined to try and reel him in with her vast intellect. "I told you that I found no evidence of that breed of Sargassum in the bay and how unusual that was given the fast reproductive cycle of that particular weed. Well, your partner's autopsy report included an analysis of the water in the victim's stomachs and it occurred to me that the trace elements were slightly different to the samples I took from the bay today."

Mulder looked interested but lost "So.."

"So, I don't think they died in the bay. I think they were killed somewhere else and their bodies were dumped here for us to find."

Charles the waiter appeared with their meals. Mulder and Cat had been leaning over the table towards each other so they could speak quietly and sat back suddenly when he appeared. He placed each meal down in front of them and then took each of their napkins and laid them over their knees. "Enjoy your meals Sir." He nodded to Mulder "Madam" He nodded at Cat.

Both leant back in towards each other, intent on carrying on with their conversation and not be distracted by the heavenly aromas that now sat between them. "I think you are right." Mulder whispered. "I met a group of men in the lounge. They are here from LA to visit this exclusive private Island they called Merewif." Cat leaned in a little further. "Apparently one of the restaurant owners in the bay also owns this private island which features a gourmet seafood restaurant, exclusive resort and a few private lagoons. But the main feature is a club. A club with a very large aquarium equipped with a sunken ship and exotic sea life, including and I'm not making this up, mermaids ." Cat was stunned into silence. "I think that is where our bachelors were the night they died." Mulder sat back into his chair.

"Can we get out there?"

"Its $5,000 just to be allowed ashore and with that kind of price tag I'm guessing it isn't easy to sneak in undetected. I'm not one to enjoy night boating activities, but we can have a go at getting out there in the morning. I want to stake out the harbour tonight; watch the water traffic and see who is coming and going. I also need to find out who owns it so I can have a chat with them in the morning." He pulled his phone out of his pocket and hit redial. Scully's phone went straight to message. "Scully it's me. I need you to look up some information for my on a private island called Merewif. Call me when you get this message." He flipped the phone shut and returned it to his pocket.

Mulder looked down at the work of art that was his meal. "I don't know about you but I can't ignore that smell anymore." He picked up his fork and broke a piece of the delicate fillet of fish that lay across his plate. It was just about the best seafood meal he had ever tasted and he didn't realise he was that hungry until he had just about finished the meal in a few small minutes.

Cat ate more slowly eyeing him curiously. "So, Fox."

"Sorry" he mumbled around a mouthful "I didn't realize I was hungry."

"That's ok, it is delicious."

"Mm" he went back to concentrating on his meal.

"I was just thinking now that business has been discussed we could get back to the pleasure part of the evening."

"Huh?"

"You know you were going to tell me more about yourself." She seductively removed a long piece of fish off her fork with her teeth.

Mulder was almost finished "Not much to tell." He didn't look up at her but slowed the rate in which he shovelled the food into his mouth.

She avoided what she really wanted to ask him with a 'safe' question. "Have you always worked for the F.B.I?"

"Yip"

"Family?"

"Hmm, we don't have enough time to cover that one." He smiled up at her taking a long sip from his glass.

"Love life?"

"Oh we definitely don't have time to cover that one." He wiped his mouth with the napkin off his knee. "We really should go. I need to get down to the docks." He pushed himself up from the table. "I'll get the bill."

She had known him less than 48 hours and already hated his nasty habit of walking away from her without finishing a conversation.

Two hours later they both sat in a small car park that over looked the main beach and wharf of Sunset Bay. Mulder held a small pair of binoculars over his eyes slowly scanning the shore line and the small garage across the way from them that housed the boats for hire in the Bay. It was very quiet. They seemed to be the only people out tonight. Cat's eyes felt heavy, the magical powers of the vodka had now turned into a sedative and she was succumbing to its effect quickly. She had bunched up her cardigan and pushed it against the window as a makeshift pillow to lay her weary head and was almost asleep when he spoke, startling her.

"You don't have to stay with me you know. I'm happy to take you back to the hotel."

"No, I want to stay. I can help keep you awake." She replied not attempting to open her eyes.

"I think you were already asleep, Yusuf."

She opened one eye to confront him "You could always tell me more about your family and love life. That'll keep us awake for a while."

He gave her a tight lip smile "How about you get some sleep, I've got things covered here for a while."

She smiled and nestled herself further into her cardigan. She was almost asleep before she could finish her sentence. "That's what I thought."

It wasn't long before the day was breaking and the kink in her neck woke her. She slowly raised her head and grimaced at the ache that radiated all the way down her spine. Blinking rapidly she tried her best to adjust to the intensity of the morning sun peeking out from its resting place beyond the horizon. The sound of crashing waves and squawking seagulls reminded her of where she was. A few gentle neck stretches eased the tension enough to allow her to look over to the driver's seat where Mulder lay snoring. He had pushed his seat right back and down into a lying position. His arms were crossed over his chest and long legs stretched deep under the dashboard. She moved the little amount of saliva there was in her mouth and then yawned. God, she was uncomfortable. She hadn't slept in a car for years, what on Earth was she doing out here? Moments like these called for a cigarette, lucky she stashed a few in her purse for emergencies. Grabbing his coat off the back seat she quietly pulled her door open and stepped out into the cool morning air. His coat was too big for her by a mile. She could wrap it almost completely around herself. It was snug and heavy and smelled like him. She wrapped her arms around her breasts, closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Trying to imagine what it would be like to have him wrapped around her instead. Now she really needed that cigarette. Digging deep into the secret compartment of her purse she found what she was looking for accompanied by a lighter and with a little flick she was breathing in the bitter taste of disappointment. As she exhaled the smoke, she glanced at the beauty that surrounded her, from the lush plant life, to the blue of the sea and gold of the sand. This would be the perfect place to fall in love she thought, dragging on her cigarette again. Suddenly the car was vibrating against her hip. No it wasn't the car it was the pocket of his jacket, his phone, she soon discovered. Without thinking she flipped it open. "Hello." She whispered not wanting to wake him.

'Hi!' A very surprised Scully answered. 'I'm looking for Agent Mulder.'

Cat kept her voice low "Ah, he's asleep, hang on." She crept around to her side of the car and leant over the seat.

The sound of the upholstery shifting like the springs of a mattress and ruffled sheets was all Scully could hear and then a muffled female voice again "Fox. Fox, wake up."

"Huh?" A very sleepy Mulder replied

"Wake up, you have a phone call."

There was more scuffling of upholstery on Scully's end followed by the clunking of the phone as it obviously exchanged hands.

"Hello." A half asleep Mulder answered.

'Good Morning, Fox.'

It was strange hearing her call him that and so it took him a few minutes to gather his bearings and remember where he was. He looked outside at the beach and at Cat who was now leaning on the hood of the car in his jacket dragging on a cigarette. "Scully?" he sounded disorientated. "What time is it?"

'It's a little after eight.'

"Sorry." He dug his thumb and forefinger deep into his morning eyes and yawned "I didn't get much sleep last night."

'Really!'

The fog of his dreams was passing and he suddenly realised how all of this might sound. "I've been in my car all night." He tried to explain. "Dr Stevens and I decided to stake out the bay."

'Ah huh.'

"I suspect our victims were visiting a private island just out from the bay here and well…." He felt like he was rambling. "Scully this isn't how it sounds."

'Oh and how does it sound?'

"Well." How did it sound?

'Not even you would be that stupid, Mulder. You asked me to call when I got your message.' She quickly changed the subject.

"Thank you. Yeah I did." He still felt guilty, although he didn't know what for.

'Well. I got your message.' She didn't sound like she was in the mood to beat around the bush. He could hear shuffling of paper on her end of the line.

"Are you at the office already?"

'I couldn't sleep either so I thought I'd come in and see if the lab results were back on those scales you sent me. I also have better access to information regarding the island you wanted me to look into.'

"Are you tidying my desk?" he sounded nervous.

'I may have rearranged a few things, yes. Honestly, how could you find anything in this desk.'

"I'm not going to be able to find anything when I get back am I, Scully?"

'Well…'

"You better not have touched my pencils. It took me months to get that many stuck in that roof."

'Do you remember how tall I am, Mulder?'

"Well, you are lucky. Don't mess with my pencils, Scully."

'I had the janitor remove them.' She sounded far too amused.

She couldn't see him smile secretly "Scu…..!"

"Do you want to know what I found for you, Mulder, or would you like to mourn the loss of a few number four pencils."

"Tell me what you've got."

Cat pulled open her side of the car and got back into the passenger seat. He had forgotten she was standing out there. He looked over at her briefly and then concentrated hard on his partner's voice on the other end of the phone.

'The scales were made with very fine silicon. The colour and kind you might find in a fishing lure. The interesting thing is that they also contained epithelial cells.'

"So in theory, Scully, if it was a mermaid we were looking for would this be what their scales would be made of?"

'No. More like what you would expect a fisherman to have if he hooked his finger with the lure.'

"Oh"

'Sorry to disappoint you but what I think you have are woman in very elaborate, very expensive mermaid costumes. They've taken these scales, embedded them into their skin and then added a little body paint. Judging by the detail I'm sure it looks very effective.'

"It does."

'What? Have you seen them?'

"No, a very blurry picture though. Which brings to my next question – 'Merewif', what did you find out about that?"

He heard his chair swivel as she moved on it and sighed simultaneously. 'Not much. Whatever goes on there is a very well-kept secret. The only thing I can tell you is that it is owned by a man named Arnold Gables, a New Yorker who made his fortune on Wall Street. He is a self-proclaimed eternal bachelor who also owns a few restaurants in the bay where you are staying. He purchased it a little over a year ago and unfortunately that is where most of the information stops. The only thing I could find from Gables financial record was purchases of building materials, I assume for the construction of living facilities on the island. But what was unusual was the purchase of extensive aquarium paraphernalia, sourced mostly overseas. Perhaps the mermaid costumes were acquired then too. Anyway, I've sent out a few feelers to see if I can gather more information on the aquarium and costume materials.'

"What you said pretty much confirms the information I received from a group of men I met at a restaurant last night. It must have been Gable's restaurant. This guy has convinced these people he has real mermaids and maybe someone got upset it was a scam. He must be running a pretty high class peep show on this island, exclusive to those high up enough to be able to pay for it and keep it secret."

'There's more than Mermaids in that aquarium, Mulder. Whatever made those lacerations on our victim's chest and back was a very large sea creature of some kind. There wasn't enough trace evidence to identify an exact species but I think it was an eel of some kind.'

Mulder looked over at Cat who was busy trying to act like she wasn't listening to his conversation. "An Eel? That's what Dr Stevens thought." Cat looked over at him suddenly interested that her name had been used. Mulders phone bleeped signalling his battery life was coming to an end. "This phone is going to die, Scully, I need to get back to the hotel and then I'm heading down to the docks to hire me a boat. I need to see this island and talk to this Gables." His phone bleeped again, pleading to be plugged in.

'Can you get something for your nausea or do you want me to fax a script to one of the local pharmacies?'

"No, I should be able to get something over the counter, it shouldn't be a problem. It isn't too far out."

You could hear the uneasiness in Scully's voice as his phone bleeped again like a timer ticking down to when she wouldn't be able to contact him again for a while. Her intuition told her it would be longer than he thought too. She wished she was going with him. 'You shouldn't go alone, Mulder. I think I should send another agent to come with you.'

"I don't have time to wait for another agent another man is missing. I need to get out there this morning." He tried not to sound like he was arguing with her but the battery bleep had him on a time limit.

'You don't know how to drive a boat and you are heading out into open water to a possible homicide with no available back up and probably limited communications. You can't go by yourself.'

*Blurp Blurp* the phone struggled

"I'll be fine Scully, the local law enforcement here love me, I'm sure they'll be glad to help me out." He lied, "and Cat can come with me…" That's where the struggling battery gave out completely.

 

 

 

"Did I happen to mention that sea travel usually makes my breakfast give an encore performance?" Mulder clutched at his churning stomach. The sea-sickness pills obviously didn't carry a money back guarantee.

Cat briefly looked up from her hold on the small boats steering unit at a very green looking Mulder. "Did I tell you I've only actually driven a boat twice in my whole life?"

He held his stomach with his hand trying to avoid over jiggling it when he laughed. "Maybe we should have thought this through a bit more." He said and then excused himself to vomit over the side of the boat.

Cat cringed the sound making her own stomach flip flop. "It's isn't far now." She called to him.

"You said that forty five minutes ago, Cat." He replied in between heaving. "Are we lost?"

"No. Look." She killed the engine slightly and the boat slowed. Mulder recovered from his latest belt of sickness and looked up to see a growing land mass.

"Thank God!" He squinted against the bright sun until his eyes adjusted and he could make out the approaching island. The first thing he noticed was the giant structure that took up over half of the east side. "Can you see this?"

"Yeah. Wow! What do you think it is?"

"Scully said it's an aquarium." He used his hand to hood the sun from his eyes. "I think we can dock up there." He pointed towards the large building where he could see a small wharf and one other vessel, much more expensive looking than theirs. They were only a few miles from the dock when the engine of the moored boat came to life and headed towards them at speed. Mulder waved at Cat motioning her to kill the engine. "Slow down" he called out "let's try keep this low key."

She did as he asked killing the engine as the much more extravagant boat closed the gap between them. Mulder clutched at his stomach again as it turned in on itself. The boat slowed as it approached its sharp nose curving towards their bow dangerously closely. There were two men on the boat. One sat at the steering unit and the other was standing with one foot up on the starboard side. He was dark skinned with a thick moustache and white shirt that flapped loosely in the wind. It was just a little too Miami Vice for Mulder. If he wasn't concentrating on supressing the urge to vomit he would have found this incredibly funny.

"Hello there." Moustache man called. "I'm sorry Sir but you and your lovely lady friend seem to be a little lost."

"I don't think so." Mulder called just noticing both men aboard the boats had a piece on their hips. "We are looking for Merewif." He went to grab his badge from his pocket and the moustache man's hand went to his gun. Mulder put his free hand out indicating he wasn't armed and slowly reached in to pull out his badge. "I'm an FBI agent, Special Agent Fox Mulder." He flicked his badge open.

"FBI?" Moustache man relaxed taking his hand away from his gun. "How can I help you, Agent Mulder?" he smiled that secret criminal master mind smile.

"We want to come ashore." Mulder flipped his badge closed and pocketed it. "We want to have a look around and talk to Mr Gables." He smiled his smug government official smile back at him.

Cat had never been surrounded by so many guns before and suddenly it hit her - the potential danger she was putting herself in. She followed Mulder blindly like a lost puppy with her tongue hanging out, her lust fuelled brain giving her an unfounded confidence, blocking her normally keen sense of danger. She suddenly felt very silly and very ill. Her head moved between the boats listening carefully to the conversation, watching even the smallest movements from all three men.

"Do you have a warrant, Agent Mulder?"

"Do I need one?" Mulder mimicked the man's pose, lifting his foot and resting it on the edge of the boat.

The man laughed then turned to his friend lifting his eyebrows, obviously giving him some secret code. The other man got up and they both went below the deck.

Cat adjusted herself in her seat. Their boat didn't have a cabin therefore there was no place for them to take shelter. They were out in the middle of no-where, potentially amongst criminals and she was starting to feel very scared. Did Fox have a gun? Surely he did he was an FBI agent. "Fox!" She whispered loudly, he didn't seem to hear her "Fox!"

Mulder turned towards her "What?"

"Where did they go, I don't like this Fox. Let's go back, I want to go back now."

Noticing how scared she looked he jumped down off the edge of the boat to sit next to her while the two men busied themselves on their boat. "What's wrong?" he leant to speak quietly in her ear.

"They have guns, Fox."

He nudged her shoulder with his "So do I."

She snuck a glance at him "I don't like this Fox, I'm not an FBI agent, I shouldn't have come with you."

"Oh I've been followed by a moonshadow, moonshadow, moonshadow." He sang softly, very off key. "Leapin and a hoppin on a moonshadow, moonshadow, moonshadow."

"Cut it out, Fox." Her voice shook as she fought back nervous tears.

"And if I ever lose my hands, lose my plough, lose my land."

She laughed as she bit down on her shaking bottom lip, he was calming her with his awful singing and his stupid grin. "Stop it!" She swiped the tears from eyes "You are going to get us killed with that God-awful singing."

He squeezed her hand to reassure her a little more then stood as the men reassembled on the deck of the boat. "Mr Gables will see you." He simply stated. "Follow us and I'll show you where you can anchor." And with that they fired their engine into gear and sharply turned their boat back towards the shore.

Mulder winked at Cat and sang loudly "Moonshadow, Moonshadow." Then when the men were far enough in front that they wouldn't be able to see him he carried on vomiting over the side of the boat.

###

"Agent Scully." Dolly announced cheerfully as she rounded the door into Walter Skinners office.

Scully died a little inside she really didn't want to have another conversation with this woman. "Is the Assistant Director in? I need to speak with him urgently."

"He is in a meeting love, but he won't be long. Why don't you take a seat, put your feet up. My you seem to get bigger and bigger every time I see you."

Every pregnant woman loves hearing those words, just as much as they love their need to eat and pee at 3am. "Perhaps I'll come back." She went to turn away; Mulders likely peril situation wasn't worth sitting and enduring a conversation with this woman. Before she reached the door Skinners office door opened and he and another man stepped out shaking hands.

Skinner caught Scully's eye. "Agent Scully, I'll be right with you. Take a seat I just need to make a phone call."

Scully clenched her fists and cursed under her breath. Skinners 9am appointment left the office, Skinner ducked back behind the safety of his office door and Dolly grinned like a giddy grandmother at Scully as she hesitantly sat down on the couch. She sat and doted for a moment and Scully knew it was just the calm before the verbal storm.

"Have you been doing the birthing classes? You know I think that is one of the most important things to do when you are expecting. I think to myself sometimes 'you know these modern mothers today they wouldn't need all these fancy medicines and epidurals if they just paid more attention in their birthing classes'." She flicked her wrist flopping her hand in a 'posh' manor. Scully retracted in her seat a little more. "Now most woman these days go for the c-section without even trying the natural way, probably worried about the state left for the men in their life but I'm telling you darling you shouldn't worry about things like that."

Scully's eyebrows hit the top of her hair line, how on Earth was she having and not having a conversation with this woman about her vagina and her sex life. Dolly didn't seem to care- on she went. "I've had four children, all natural, all healthy and my husband has never…"

"Ms White!" Scully finally interrupted "I'm sorry, I'm just not very comfortable talking to you about this."

"I'm sorry Dear, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable." She crossed her hands in her lap, innocently. She was quiet for 5.5 seconds. Scully was counting them in her head. "You know the young gentleman who came to see you in the cafeteria the other day was very handsome."

Scully shot a definite 'don't mess with me' look then. "Ms White!"

Dolly closed her lips tight peering over at the button on her phone that was now flashing red. "The Assistant Director will see you now." She had her 'secretary' voice back on.

Scully mustered all of her strength not to stand like an awkward pregnant woman, ironed out the front of her clothes and marched chin pointed forward into her Boss's office. Skinner looked surprisingly happy for a change. He was sitting at his desk shuffling papers with one hand and tapping the desk with his pencil in the other. "Agent Scully." He looked up at her "You look well, what can I do for you?"

Scully took a deep breath, momentarily feeling guilty for being the one who was about to crush his rare happy mood. "Ah Sir, I have reason to believe Agent Mulder may be in trouble." She held her hands in front of her lap like a nervous school girl at the Principal's office.

The joyful pencil tapping stopped abruptly and that crease she was so familiar with etched its way deep into his forehead "What did he do?"

"Well…" She started.

Suddenly Skinner was pulling open his office draws each one in turn. Open, slam, open, slam. Scully jumped each time one crashed into the desk. He was pulling out pieces of paper, forms, a pen. Ranting as he went. "Forget it, I don't want to know. It's probably safer if you don't tell me. Three days! Three days he has been away on his own and he is already in trouble. That has to be a record even for him." He was scribbling on the forms as he ranted. "You know I can't wait until the day you walk in here and say 'hey just wanted to say I haven't almost been killed this week. No hospitals, car crashes, abductions. Nope, we are just going for a beer if you want to come."

Scully held back a smirk his impression of her was way off. She took a cautious peek at what he was writing. It was authority forms and he was signing them off.

"I suppose you need a car, hotel, an extra agent and what else, a new cell phone perhaps?"

She wondered if this was the right opportunity to ask for a raise but decided not to push her luck. "Ah no phone that I am aware of but I'll need another two agents and um well, I may need ah, um, a boat."

He stopped scribbling to look up at her. "A boat." She smiled sweetly back at him. "Why a boat? Nope don't tell me I don't want to know." He pulled out another form and began filling it out. When he was done he almost threw it at her.

She took it cautiously from him "Thank you Sir." Before she walked through the door she slowed and then turned to him "Sir, maybe one day I'll come by and ask you out for a beer."

He looked directly at her middle. "Ha, I won't hold my breath Agent Scully."

####

Arnold Gables was a slick character, solid build, broad shoulders and thick black hair that was plastered meticulously over his head. His face was shaved using the closest cut possible and he wreaked of aftershave that probably cost more than a week's wages at the FBI. Even though he only stood a few inches taller than Mulder. His arrogant charm and expensive suit seemed to make him tower over him. Mulder knew the moment he stepped into a room with this man that getting any information from him was going to be difficult. He had his work cut out for him. So far they had toured the main suite, a bar, two of the private lagoons, a restaurant, another bar and the gym. He flirted with Cat shamelessly and offered Mulder all sorts of 'perks' including cocktails and seafood dishes he had never heard of. Gables did all the talking, Mulder nodded at the appropriate moments, soaking up as much information he could from his visual assessment of the island. Throughout their entire tour he noted that he was yet to see one patron. In fact the only other people were the Miami Vice crew from the boat that seemed to follow Mr Gables at a safe distance behind them. The tour stopped outside the door of the biggest building on the island "Merewif" was written in giant old English letters above the door. "And here is possibly our biggest attraction on the island: Our live underwater show." Arnold Gables pulled a cigar out of his pocket and placed it between his teeth.

Mulder was tired of beating around the bush, he watched Gables light his cigar and casually held his own hand up to shelter the flame that was trying to spark the waxy paper of the cigar. "Thank you." Gables said inhaling deeply, thinking he had charmed his way out of Mulders investigations.

Mulder smiled briefly then decided to rip off the band aid. "It is a lovely place Mr Gables, I can see why it is so popular. I am most interested in this underwater show and hoping you could tell me what you knew about the three lawyers who went missing after visiting this island. Two of them washed up on the beach shackled in seaweed having apparently had sex, likely underwater, with a woman wearing scales and body paint. The other is in a coma but not before telling us about a show involving mermaids. "

Sensing their bosses discomfort at the question the two monkeys stepped in behind Gables and Cat cowered a little further behind Mulder. The air between them was thick and cigar smoke scented, everyone seemed to be waiting to see what Mr Gables would say or do. Mulder wasn't surprised when he laughed at him. "Mr Mulder, many men and woman have ventured onto this island, many lovers. People have strange fantasies and desires; my island is a private oasis where people can do whatever they please in complete privacy. We don't take names, there are no cameras here; no internet and I have the only means of communication. My guests pay a large sum to play here but for most you can't put a price on that kind of privacy." He stepped a little closer to Mulder exhaling a large cloud of smoke. "They do whatever they please and it is no-bodies business at least of all mine."

"Unless they were murdered." Mulder fought the urge to cough.

Gables put the cigar back between his teeth and grinned "Why don't you stay for the evening? Have dinner at one of my restaurants; order whatever you like it's on me." He pulled the cigar out of his mouth holding it between two fingers and pointed towards the large doors they were standing in front of. "The show starts at 10pm feel free to come and see for yourself."

"I'd like to see a list of recent guests and I would like to speak to your mermaids."

"I told you Agent Mulder, complete privacy. I take no-ones names, no such list exists and my mermaids are unavailable outside of show hours. When you come by tonight, I'll have one of my staff accompany you and answer any more of your questions. In the mean time I'll have my men here show you to one of the lagoons. Please feel free to try any of our services." He pulled Cats hand to his lips and kissed it softly and then walked away.

Their movements had been restricted on the island while they waited for the Merewif bar to open. Mulder was determined to spend the time within the lagoon they had been allocated searching for clues about their missing lawyers and the general going's on of the island. On the surface it all looked very kosher, legitimate even, a place to bring your significant other and hide away in paradise for a few secret nights. If only his senses didn't tell him something fishy was going on when the tropical sun set and he wasn't talking about the cuisine. Extreme privacy meant secrets and he was determined to find out what they were hiding out here that cost three or four figures to bury in the sand. Unfortunately, there was little to be found. Their private lagoon was made up of one large self-contained room and a private beach. The room was huge with shining polished wood floors and oak furniture. It held a four post king size bed which had a large net draped over it that looked like white silk sails on a ship. There was a fully equipped kitchen with a small bathroom off to the side. The kitchen and bathroom were the only structures surrounded by walls. The rest of the room was made up of large windows, including the roof. So if you were lying in bed the sky was above you, your private beach, bordered with rocks were your surroundings. And just outside the sliding doors was a hammock hanging in a tree that shaded your own private spa pool. This was the kind of place you only got to see in travel brochures. If only Mulder was in the mood to enjoy it.

"Wow!" Cat exclaimed as they walked into the room "I've never seen anything so beautiful. I wish I had a swim suit."

Mulder was too tired to indulge too much in their seemingly good fortune. He knew too well that things rarely were as beautiful as they seemed on the surface. Still feeling a little nauseous and dehydrated from their trip, he was only interested in the bed. "I might catch up on some sleep before we have to head out tonight." He unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt and pulled it over his head while kicking off his shoes.

Cat watched him disappointedly as he flopped ungraciously down on the comfiest bed she thought she had ever seen. He disappeared under the mosquito nets and seemed to fall asleep instantly. Dumb founded she looked at the beach, the hammock, the small window seat and wondered what on earth he expected her to do while he napped. "Well I'm just going to um…"

A piece of netting parted on the bed and his head popped out. "Hey, did you bring something to collect samples with?"

"Yeah" she still looked dumb founded but then quickly remembered she was actually here to work and could potentially be in danger.

"Maybe you could go and collect a few water samples and see if you can see any of the weed our lawyers were wrapped in or maybe even evidence of unusual sea life that could explain their injuries." He didn't even wait for her to reply before flopping back down onto the pillow.

"Sure" Cat squeaked. What did she think was going to happen? That he would suddenly notice her, whisk her up into his arms and throw her down on the bed. After all no one would know, no one would find out, no-on would care. Would they? She really didn't know that much about him after all.

Mulder hit the button on a fancy remote that lay beside the bed that read 'roof' and a dark petition covered the blinding afternoon sun. He drifted off to the sound of seagulls and surf lapping the shore. As he slumbered he dreamt of small wet feet walking outside the curtain. His eyes fluttered and the shadow of a woman stood at the end of the bed. The hours had passed and the sun was well and truly on its way below the horizon. He didn't dare move or speak not wanting to surprise any unwanted guests.

"Are you feeling better?" A soft familiar whisper came from behind the curtain.

"Scully?" He lifted his head as the two sides of the silky net parted and she stepped into view. A sea breeze from the open door caught the net tangling her a little. "Scully, what are you doing here? You're not supposed to be in the field."

"Sshhhh" she shushed him seductively and that's when he realised he was dreaming. She wasn't pregnant, her stomach flat and uncovered. She was wearing a bikini, the one he had only seen her in as Rico, the undercover agent aboard the luxury cruise liner. That felt like a year ago now. "Are you feeling better, Mulder?" She asked again

"Much better now you are here."

"Really?" She looked at him with sorrow written over her face.

"Of course Scully, you know I get lost when you aren't with me."

"But you left me." Her sad eyes meet his.

He was tired of arguing with her about this while he was awake he wasn't going to do it in his dreams. He sighed deeply content to just sit and watch her for a while. He was in charge of his own dreams after all wasn't he? He could control what was going to happen next. He thought he had successfully convinced his sub conscious of this when she moved her hand to the straps holding the bikini top to her body and pulled them gently until the small garment fluttered to the bed. Mulder swallowed hard, soaking in the familiar but never disappointing view.

"Things are changing, Mulder." Standing there in just a small, red pair of bikini bottoms, she seemed content in letting him watch her. His mouth went dry, he absolutely could not take his eyes off of her, not wanting to break the spell and wake up he didn't dare move a muscle.

"I'm changing." Suddenly her stomach swelled to the pregnant state he had left her in and her hands smoothed lovingly over it. "Aren't you attracted to me anymore?"

He didn't think he would be able to speak his throat felt like sand. "God Scully, how could you think that?"

"You left."

He had no way to answer that, he did leave. If dreams were answers to questions we hadn't yet figured out how to ask, what the hell was the question here?

It was darker all of a sudden, the wind had picked up and the netting attached to the bed was now lashing wildly around her. "I'm changing Mulder, it couldn't stay the same forever." Her bikini bottoms were fading, the colour of her legs and swollen belly were changing to deep reds, oranges, yellows and burgundies. Shining against the fading light her skin he realised was turning to scales, her legs into a tail. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back. Her hair began to grow longer until he could no longer see it behind the bottom end of the bed.

"Scully!" He called to her not able to move.

Her lips went from coral pink to deep blood red. Her long red hair was picked up by the breeze and blew wildly around her head. She slowly opened her eyes as her transformation was almost complete "It couldn't stay the same forever…."

 

 

"Scully!" He woke suddenly sitting up in the bed, back in the land of the awake. He was breathing hard and his sheets were soaked with his own sweat. The room was now dark. He realised he must have slept much longer than he had intended.

The net pulled back and Cat's head poked through the opening. "Are you ok?"

He looked at her through his fingers covering his face. "yeah" he replied unconvincingly and moved to sit on the edge of the bed

"You were mumbling in your sleep Fox." She looked at him concerned. "You were terrified. What on earth were you dreaming about?"

He shook his head and pulled a shirt on "Tell me what you found on the beach."

She sighed and fought to keep her nerves in check. "I didn't find any of the weed and without a lab I can't analyse the water samples to see if it matches the water in our victim's lungs."

"What have you been up to then?" Mulder sounded unnecessarily angry.

"Don't get pissy with me, Fox, I'm not the one who slept all afternoon." She watched him rise from the bed and then followed close behind him into the small kitchen. "I'm not the one who decided it was a good idea to come out here all by ourselves and into God knows what kind of danger."

Mulder drank a long glass of cool tap water and watched her rant over the rim.

"You seem to obviously be running from some serious personal issues and therefore have no real qualms about this suicide mission."

He dropped the glass loudly on the desk and shook his head. "I didn't ask you to come with me Dr Stevens."

She folded her arms over herself as if trying to stop her hands from pushing him to the ground. "You're absolutely right, Fox. You didn't and I now see it was a mistake." She was shaking as she turned away from him not wanting him to see the fear in her eyes.

Softening a little, his guilt getting the better of him, he grabbed her arm gently and turned her back to face him "I'm glad you came with me."

She looked down at the hand that was touching her fascinated at how something so simply could have such a calming effect on her "Was that an apology?" she smirked at him.

That's when he noticed the unusual arrangement of shells dangling around her neck. "What on earth is this?" He lifted it with his finger.

She picked it up off her chest "You like it? I thought I'd wear it to dinner. You were asleep so long I had to occupy myself somehow."

Mulder went and sat at the table where shells had been washed and arranged into neat piles. He looked up at her curiously.

"When I was a kid we used to spend our vacation at the beach. I wasn't allowed real jewellery so I got good at making my own." She picked up a shell that made a perfect circle and pulled it down one of her fingers to make a ring. She dangled it in front of his nose like a newly engaged woman at the water cooler.

"Speaking of jewellery, any clue as to what we are supposed to wear tonight? Something tells me we won't be allowed in looking like the cast of Gilligan's Island" Mulder quipped.

"Gilligan who?"

He looked stunned for a moment and then realised who it was he was talking to, "Never mind. I forgot to pack my tux." He tugged at the collar of his shirt.

Cat jumped out of her confusion "Oh, there are clothes hanging in the closet. I assume they are for us. Well I assume the dress was picked for me by our friendly host. Given the length and neck line."

Mulder tentatively walked to the closet and pulled the door open. For the second time in as many days a very expensive suit in his size magically appeared for him. Dangling next to it on a silver hanger was something very white, very shiny and exceptionally small. His bottom lip curled under "Hmm impressive."

"Says the man who will be appropriately covered." Cat sneered.

There was something about a beautiful beach at night. The moon reflecting off the water, the sand cold between your toes and the sound of the waves gently lapping against the shore had a calming effect. Cat, for the first time since she got on that silly little boat felt relaxed, even if she was wearing the smallest, whitest cocktail dress in the world. Mulder didn't seem to be as calm and she wondered if that meant she was indulging in a false sense of security. She tightened the grip on the straps of her shoes she had dangling from her fingers and looped her arm through his. As usual he didn't seem to notice she was touching him.

Instead he pointed over to the dock "Look at all the boats. There must be at least 20 anchored there now." He exclaimed. "I didn't realise people came and went at night but I guess it makes sense. You could easily get a group together for a weekend trip and make a stop for a night. Who would find out? The coast guard would be the only people who really keep track of the sea traffic. I must get Scully to pull their manifest."

Was he talking to her or himself? Cat didn't really know what she was supposed to say. "Can you still see our boat?"

Mulder scanned the still water "No, not from here. I know which general direction it is in though, I'm sure it's just hiding behind one of those bigger yachts."

Whatever calm Cat had it left her instantly. "Right, sure. I hope you are right."

Sensing her nervousness he turned to look over at her, catching her eyes "Let's get this over with huh."

They both looked up at the giant doors of 'Merewif'. There were two large poles standing either side that's tops were lit. Fire billowed from them like an ancient beacon summoning the ships in the night. He let her keep her arm linked to his as they made their way towards the club. When they reached solid ground again, Cat reached down and slipped her feet into her shoes. At full height she managed to meet Mulder shoulder to shoulder. Cat couldn't help but notice the way he looked at her. "What?"

"Nothing." He felt silly "It's just Scully is well…" He held his hand palm down at Cats forehead and lowered it to about his chin height. Cat looked curiously at him. "Well, she's a little.." His hand was still bobbing up and down. "Never mind, let's just go in." He pushed open the heavy doors and gestured for her to go in ahead of him. "Cat."

She paused and turned to him, unsettled that he was using her first name for the first time. "Fox?"

He ducked into the room letting the door close behind him. Lowering his voice he dipped his head so his mouth sat close to her ear. "Let me do the talking."

The music was the first thing to hit them. The beat was so deep they felt it inside their chests. Between each beat was a chaotic techno rhythm that made the hairs on their arms stand on end. Each looked around mouths gapping as they took in their surroundings. Essentially it was a like any ordinary bar. There were tables and couches, barmaids and waiters. The bar staff and cliental were impeccably dressed, making Mulder glad they had been given the formal attire. At least this way they blended in, no one seemed to even look up when they moved into the centre of the room. Like the hotel room, the roof was made of glass blanketing them in moonlight and stars. The only light in the room came from a tank that made up the entire back wall and bar. It looked like an ordinary tropical fish tank, filled with exotic fish and seaweed. Mulder nudged Cat in the general direction of the tank, wanting her to take a closer look "Can you see any of the weed we are looking for."

She scanned it quickly "No, it's far too clean. This place is amazing, Fox." She exclaimed. They both took another look around. It seemed like a normal bar. There were groups of men and woman as well as couples. All drinking, eating laughing, it looked like a fun place to socialise, it looked, well normal. In his experience Mulder knew 'normal' was the best place to hide the biggest secrets. "What do we do now?".

"I guess we wait. Gables said there would be someone to show us around and answer our questions. I assumed they would come to us." Mulder replied

"Whatever happens here, Fox promise me one thing."

"Sure what?"

"Don't lose me ok. Make sure we don't get separated." She hooked her arm into his again.

He patted her hand. "OK. Let's get a drink."

She smiled in response.

"No vodka for you."

No-one looked their way as they moved to the bar. "Two diet sodas please." Mulder asked the waitress behind the bar, handing her a twenty.

A male hand appeared on top of the money. Mulder went to confront the would be robber when he spoke "Agent Mulder. Dr Stevens?" The pair turned towards him. "My name is Dean I am to escort you around Merewif this evening." Dean looked like a butler. Hair slicked, shoes shining, bow tie too tight. Mulder almost expected him to bow his head. Instead he put out his hand to shake each of theirs in turn. "Mr Gables insisted you don't pay a cent during your stay here on the island." The waitress returned with their drinks and Dean jutted out his chin a silent waiver between the pair that obviously knew each other and Mulder pocketed his money.

"Thank you Dean." Mulder had to raise his voice over the music. "Is there perhaps somewhere we can go and talk?"

Dean pointed away from the bar in the direction he wanted them to follow him and the two diet cokes were left untouched on the bar. They followed him to the back wall where a stair case led them underneath the giant water tanks. As they descended the stairs the music became background noise and a much more conversation friendly volume. Dean began speaking like a museum curator giving a live tour he had rehearsed many times. "That was the upper level restaurant. With low lighting of the exotic fish tanks and private tables it offers a degree of intimacy. There is a five course menu, bar and in the early hours of the morning it is transformed into more of a 'night club' setting. DJ or live band, dancing, cocktails…"

"Drugs?" Mulder added. He had been following closely, taking each step Dean left so he could hear him properly. So when Dean stopped suddenly he almost walked right into the back of him, Cat almost doing the same behind him.

"Agent Mulder, there are no drugs available here on the Island."

"But you don't check people as they come ashore for things like drugs, do you Dean?"

Dean turned and continued down the stairs, apparently not. The rest of the downward stairs were taken in silence and the music began to completely fade behind them. The giant aquarium now surrounded them completely, the roof and left and right side seemed to go on forever. Cat noted a lack of sea life in the left hand side of the tank. "Dean, may I ask, why are there no fish in this side of the tank?" she pointed to the left wall.

Dean's curator voice turned back on "Merewif is made up of four large tanks. The tank at the furthest end leads out into the ocean. We recently had a contaminant and had to close it for cleaning. There are a few fish in there but we hope to have it completely up and functional again in a few weeks."

"Contaminant?" That piqued Mulder's interest "What kind of contaminant?"

They had reached the end of the stair case and were now standing in a small foyer looking at three different doors. "A noxious weed took over the tank prohibiting the natural growth of some of our more important plant life and tangled a vast majority of our fish. We import sea life from all over the world. The tanks are carefully monitored with state of the art equipment to maintain the health of the fish and promote reproduction."

"So how did it become contaminated?" Cat asked

"We recently purchased some eels and we believe the contaminant came with them in their transportation tank."

"Eels?" Mulder clarified looking over to Cat. Was it really that easy, had these people no idea what had happened here? They had officially confirmed the men died in this bar, now to find out who or what killed them.

Dean looked between the two of them feeling like he had just slipped and said too much. He cleared his throat nervously. "Moving on, these three doors are entrances to a series of long corridors, each leading to private rooms, dance floors and three more bars. Every wall inside this maze of corridors and rooms is made up of different sections of our aquarium." Dean smiled, obviously impressed by his own story. "We often have groups come in and occupy their own room to party, couples who take up a private room or sometimes singles who just find a place to sit and drink or watch."

"Watch?" Mulder was soaking in every word Dean said, he couldn't wait to see this for himself.

"Well when the walls are made up of water it is easy to see what's happening all around you and of course our main attraction; our mermaids. Given we have no camera's and very light security and the fact that everyone can see what others are doing, we don't seem to have any security problems."

That made Mulder laugh outwardly. "You seem to have enormous faith in humanity, Dean. It seems to me this would be the perfect place to hide a crime."

Dean seemed to take this as a personal insult. "In the two years we have had this Island up and running we have never had an incident."

"That you know of" Mulder finished for him.

"No laws are broken here." Agent Mulder

"That you know of," Mulder repeated "How can you govern something like this?"

"We have a limit of 100 guests on the island at all times, and a small rotating staff of 25. We don't take names but we do manage numbers. The island itself is not large and the rocky terrain surrounding our private beaches means there is only one place to dock and enter the island. We have a watch house that is manned 24/7 so we can see vessels surrounding the immediate waters of the island. We lay between jurisdiction boarders on land but Mr Gables regularly keeps authorities updated as necessary."

Mulder grinned "I'm sure he keeps them well 'updated'" he used his fingers to punctuate the word. "What about the staff? There are laws around prostitution."

Dean scoffed "We have no prostitutes here!" He scoffed again, disgusted at the implication.

Mulder was genuinely confused. Scully had confirmed that each man had had sex right before they died and Mulder had just assumed it was with a prostitute from the island. "What about your mermaids then?"

"No one goes near the mermaids. They simply swim around the walls as part of the underwater show. We also have a wide variety of sea life from all over the world." Dean smiled looking impressed with himself again.

Mulder shuffled on his feet "Ok, back up a bit there. Are you saying no one gets in the tank with the mermaids?"

"Absolutely not, Agent Mulder. No one but staff and a select few at that, have access to the tanks. No one but Mr Gables has direct contact with the mermaids. They tend to move around a lot so you only catch glimpses of them as they swim past. It's only recently that I have seen them start to stop and engage with people."

Mulder realised he had been duped. Gables had implied that he would get to speak with the mermaids tonight but that didn't appear to be the case at all. "Mr Gables said we would be able to speak with the mermaids."

It was Dean's turn to laugh "I highly doubt that, Mr Mulder. No-one talks to the mermaids, in fact I don't even know if they do speak."

"Are you somehow implying that there are real mermaids swimming around these walls?"

"I don't know?" Dean answered honestly.

Mulder looked impatiently at Cat who was listening intently and doing her best to keep her mouth shut as requested. "How do they breathe under water, where do they sleep, eat, live?"

"I don't know, only Mr Gables knows. That's what makes this place so mysterious and so popular."

"I need to speak with Mr Gables."

"I'm sorry Agent Mulder he isn't available."

"Cut the crap and get him here now!" Mulder demanded.

"I'm sorry, Agent Mulder. I am the manager tonight. Mr Gables has gone ashore to sort a matter in one of his restaurants." He looked oblivious.

"Are you aware of why I'm here, Dean?"

"My instructions were to give you a tour and then direct you and your lady friend to a private room." He looked surprised at Mulders hostility.

Cat blushed furiously. Dean obviously thought she was Mulders date.

"I'm investigating a murder!"

"Oh well ,I can't help you with that." Dean said nervously, shuffling on his feet.

"We're outta here." Mulder turned and started climbing the stairs again. Cat followed close behind.

"Wait, Agent Mulder. Was it a lawyer?" Dean called.

Mulder turned but didn't head back towards him "Tell me why you asked me that."

"A few days ago a group of lawyers came through. They were a loud bunch, took up one of our party rooms that had a bar and drank themselves into oblivion."

Mulder moved back down the stairs, his anger ebbed slightly.

"It was nothing unusual really. We often have bachelor parties here."

"Then why mention it?" Mulder pushed him

"The mermaids took a particular interest in them. All four of them came right up to the glass and seemed to engage them."

"Engage them? Engage them how?"

"I don't know they looked mesmerised."

"Dean, they were drunken bachelors looking at beautiful topless mermaids, mesmerised doesn't sound unusual."

"No more than that, they were hypnotised." He clarified.

Mulder rubbed his hand over his mouth. This was possibly the closest thing they had to a link between his victims and the mermaids. "I guess we are going through." He addressed Cat directly. Then looked back to Dean "Where do we come out?"

"The exit comes out at the beach, right where you dock. That way everyone goes back to their boats at closing time."

"Which is?"

"5am"

"Well Miss Stevens, let's see what's behind door number one." He sounded like a 1980's game show host. Unfortunately his 'contestant' didn't seem very excited.

Again the first thing that hit them as they stepped through the door was the loud music. A similar techno beat seemed to echo off the glass walls around them. "Is that really good for the fish?" Mulder asked Cat as she closed the door leaving Dean on the other side of it.

"Normally no, but you are able to get aquarium glass that is designed to be thick enough to block out the majority of noise." As she spoke a giant sea turtle swam behind Mulder dragging her attention completely. "Whoa, look at that!" Mulder turned quickly as Cat practically lunged at the glass surface. "That's a Loggerhead sea turtle. Rare species and huge, she must be at least forty inch's." They both watched the turtle paddle in a circle before heading back in the opposite direction. When they turned back they found themselves looking directly at two men sitting at a table on the opposite side of the tank, smoking cigars and eyeing them curiously.

"Ah let's keep moving." Mulder said placing his hand in the middle of her back and ushering her away. She took one last look at the two men still glaring at her and then kept walking.

"Suddenly I wish I was wearing more clothes."

They scurried through a narrow passage quickly, eyeing the tanks closely as they went. "Keep your eye out for a mermaid." Mulder said eyeing up a particularly odd looking fish. "What on earth are those things?" Mulder pointed to a group of grey fish with giant rods pointing out of their foreheads.

Cat peered over his shoulder "Oooh those are unicorn fish. Wow they are beautiful." They both watched the small school swim in synchrony for a while. "Wow, this would be a dream place to work for someone like me. These fish are amazing."

After a few minutes they finally walked into an open spaced area. There was a giant four poster bed, exactly like the one in their room back at the lagoon. On the bedside bureau was a bucket of ice with champagne cooling and two long stem glasses sitting next to it. Mulder walked over to the bureau and pulled open a draw curious at its contents. He pulled out a box of condoms "Well at least they promote safe sex." He joked throwing the box on the bed. Cat walked in stunned silence to the live back drop directly behind the head of the bed. She could easily see a 'party room' on the other side There were people dancing, drinking, smoking, a particularly well dressed man spotted her watching them and tipped his glass at her. "This is sick, Fox. You don't actually think people would – in here- with everyone in there watching?"

"Not much surprises me anymore."

Cats face suddenly fell. "Oh my God!"

Mulder froze almost afraid to look at what she had spotted behind him "What?"

"Oh my God, shhhh, don't move I think I see one."

He did as he was told, his eyes darted around the tanks trying to catch a glimpse without moving.

"Oh my God she's beautiful, she's coming right up behind you."

"Ok I am going to turn around."

"Go really slow you don't want to scare her away."

He felt his heart begin to race. He blinked once, twice and then slowly moved his feet and turned. He closed his eyes again just to be sure they weren't playing tricks on him. Swimming slowly towards him was a woman, a mermaid, a merewif. With long blonde hair that flowed rhythmically behind her. Her arms moved in easy, gracious stokes efficiently moving her closer towards him. As she drew nearer he could see a row of blue and diamond gems that painted her neck and down along her breast bone, between her exposed breast and then flared over her stomach to the top of her tail. Mulder shook his head, trying to break the spell of total disbelief at what he was seeing. He needed Scully, he needed her rational voice next to him that would say 'Look Mulder, I can see the zipper in the back of the tail' but she wasn't there to save him, she wasn't there to see the things he needed her to see. She was getting closer now, so close he could see the shine in her crystal blue eyes. She was staring right at him, her gaze rendering him incapable of blinking. She swam directly to him and paused, she was mere centimetres away. That thick aquarium glass the only thing between him and her. Her tale moved slowly, keeping her in an upright position. Her hair billowed around her now, long blonde waves creating a halo around her head. She was flawless. Her skin looked like silk, her eyes shone like the gems around her neck. Suddenly, all other noise in the room began to fade and his head filled with the sound of the ocean. He was frozen in place, unable to drop her piercing stare. She smiled shyly and two small bubbles escaped from her nose. He was drawn to her. There was a pull inside him he had no control over. The sound of crashing waves got louder in his ears. Without conscious thought he raised his hands and placed them flat on the glass. The mermaid mimicked him until their hands rested against each other on the glass. The pull became stronger; the sound in his ears louder, he felt like he was free falling and then she suddenly pushed off the glass and swam around the bed and out of sight.

Mulder fell onto all fours on the ground. The sound of the ocean was quickly replaced by the sound of the techno music in the room. "Fox, Fox." Cat was yelling at him. He could feel her dragging on his arm trying to get him to stand. "Fox, get up!"


	3. Chapter Three

Catching his breath Mulder dragged himself back up to his feet "I'm ok, I'm ok." He pushed her hands away. She looked through the tank where the mermaid had been just minutes before and saw a group of people gathered at the glass. They were cheering and pulling on each other's clothes, clinking glasses, laughing and seemingly shouting. Obviously extremely excited at the show they had just witnessed. One of them banged on the glass trying to get their attention. It made no sound but when Mulder looked at him he gave him the biggest grin and two thumbs up. 'Lucky bastard,' he saw the man say. He disagreed completely with his new admirer across the glass. A few days ago when he was lying in bed with a beautiful woman, giggling over pizza and trashy novels. Nuzzling deep into the crock of her neck, his own secret spot on her that he could breathe her in completely and she would sigh and melt further into him. Then, that moment that was when he was a lucky bastard and he had walked away. His exhaustion was quickly replaced with anger. What the hell was he doing here? He went and sat on the bed, cradling his heavy head in his hands. He momentarily forgot he wasn't alone.

"What the hell was that, Fox!" Cat was yelling again. Her hands were on her hips. "What the hell just happened to you?"

He peeped through his fingers at her "I don't know. Did you see that?"

"Of course I saw that! I saw you blatantly ogling a half-naked woman without a hint of reservation. Do you know how wrong that is? God, you were practically salivating." She folded her arms in front of her.

Mulder was shaking his head "No you don't understand she was in my head." He massaged his temples "I couldn't move, I could hear her in my head. I felt like I was falling towards her." Cat defrosted a little. "Was she real?"

Cat laughed "You actually believe in mermaids, Fox."

"Ah, I'm sorry but were we looking at the same thing just then?"

"She had some little tube-y thing in her nose. She was impressive I'll give you that, very convincing but from what little I know about mermaids from fairy tales. They don't need special tube-y things in their noses to breath. Perhaps if you were looking a little higher, Fox, you too would have noticed."

He rubbed his hands over his face again "She did something too me."

Cat stepped a little closer and put her hand through his hair, petting him affectionately. When she looked up the man across the way was watching her again. Watching them, he winked at her suggestively. A disgusted sound left her throat. She gave him the middle finger and stormed towards the nearest exit. Mulder gathered himself "Dr Stevens. Cat wait for me."

They hurried through the maze to the next room. Luckily it was one of the bars. This was a more familiar setting. There were men and women at tables drinking, some were eating and a small group were dancing on the dance floor. There were extra lights coming from the surrounding tanks, flashing bright greens, reds and blues. Mulder and Cat wove their way between the tables to the bar. "Let's get a drink." Cat suggested. "I think you need it."

"Just a water, thanks." Mulder looked a little queasy as they took a seat at the bar and a waiter approached them.

"Well technically I'm off the clock so I'll have a vodka and orange please and a water for the lady." She tilted her head at Mulder, sitting slumped in the bar stool. The waiter nodded amused and poured their drinks. "I need a cigarette."

Mulder's stomach recoiled at the thought. "Tell me what you know about Mermaids."

She took a long sip on her straw. "You still believe she was real?"

"Just humour me."

She took another long drink almost finishing the glass completely. "They live under the sea in a magical land of kings and treasure, until the day they meet their handsome human prince. Grow some legs and live happily ever after." She sounded like Mary Poppins.

"So you have read some fairy tales then?"

She rolled her eyes at him and emptied her glass. "Enlighten me, Fox."

"You were partially right, although Ariel was one of the friendlier versions of the mermaid legends. Merewif actually translates to 'sea witch.' Greek mythology talks about a beautiful goddess who fell in love with a mortal man and accidently murdered him. Feeling so ashamed she turned herself into a fish and banished herself to living under the water but the ocean couldn't bare to conceal her beauty and made her half woman, half fish. Many legends associate mermaids with rough seas and storms and more relevant to us singing and whispering to sailors. Seducing them, luring them off their boats to a watery grave."

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that maybe these mermaids were once human woman and now that they have been pretending to be mermaids for so long, in this isolated environment, under these extreme conditions that they have somehow managed to acquire some of their mystical abilities."

Cat sighed heavily. "I need another drink." She waved at the waiter

He took her hand and brought it back down to the bar, he kept her hand in his and she couldn't take her eyes of them. "Look I've seen this phenomenon before, hypnosis, psychokinesis in my work on the Xfiles. You asked me here because of these credentials. You wanted my paranormal opinion the least you can do is consider it with some thread of professional courtesy."

She sighed again and looked directly at him "You are right. I'm sorry. This place gives me the creeps. Its making me a little crazy."

He squeezed her hand and then released it. "What would Scully say?"

"Huh?" Cat was confused.

"Scully wouldn't have conceded so easily. She would argue that hypnosis was a learned skill unable to be performed through thick glass in such short periods of time. She would say these woman would still have normal human instincts and need the basic human essentials, food, warmth, oxygen. Oxygen!" He exclaimed. "The mermaids had some form of oxygen device in their noses right. You saw something in her nose?"

"Yes."

"Scully said our sailors died from hyper oxygenation. High levels of oxygen causes euphoria, hallucinations, seizures and eventually death but an increase in oxygen in the brain has also been known to give people exceptional hypnotic abilities. So what if these woman being exposed to high levels of oxygen so regularly for so long developed some kind of tolerance."

"And the men they dragged under the water didn't share this ability." Cat finished

"Exactly!" Mulder looked excited that she had caught on. "Over exposure to high levels of oxygen could have really done a number on these woman, maybe enough to make them believe they truly are mermaids."

Cat let the facts roll around in her head. "To prove it we would need to get to one of the mermaids and collect a sample of the tank that was contaminated with the sargassum."

"We also need to figure out how they got from inside this maze to inside that tank." Mulder added. "We need to get to Gables."

"We need to get outta here!" Cat added enthusiastically and they both climbed off their seats. They quickly realised the room had suddenly changed, everyone had stopped. Cat scanned each person in turn, no not everyone, just the men. All men were frozen eyes facing the watery walls. A bright flash caught her eye and she spun in time to see her. This one was red. Long red hair, ruby red gems painted her neck and abdomen and a long red, orange and yellow tail. "Fox" She turned to get his attention and the blue one with long blonde hair whisked behind her. There was a tan shaded one with chocolate coloured skin and long black hair and an olive skinned one with brown hair and shimmering gold and diamond tail. Cat didn't believe in mermaids she sure didn't believe these ones were real or that they had mystical mind powers but she had to admit they were incredibly impressive. They began circling the small room, disappearing only momentarily by the exit and then reappearing above them. Cat followed them with her eyes, they may have been mesmerising but seductive they were not, Cat felt like she was being circled by sharks. "Fox" she turned to her companion to find him no longer at her side. She took a quick look around the room, all of the men had moved to the glass. All had their hands braced against the cold surface and were watching the show intently. Many of them had a woman shaking their arms trying to draw their attention. She scanned the faces, anxiously looking for him. She watched the red headed mermaid decrease the pace of her long tail, slowing her down to a more gracious speed. She had locked eyes with a man who was walking drunkenly towards her. No not just another man in the club it was the one she was looking for. "Fox!" she called out to him and started towards him. "Agent Mulder!" She tried. He didn't or couldn't hear her. He was now face to face with the mermaid. Her deep red hair created a fiery haze around their heads. She shook him and called his name. She clicked her fingers in front his face and banged on the dense glass. Neither he nor the mermaid dropped their icy gaze. Her crystal blue eyes had him in a trance. Running out of options she did the first thing that came to mind that might snap him out of it. Raising the sharp heel of her stiletto she lined it up with his big toe and then stomped quickly. He tumbled slightly on his feet, blinked and his concentration dropped long enough for her to grip him and direct him towards the door. "Let's get outta here." She pulled him roughly by the arm and he staggered reluctantly behind her. Unfortunately, the red mermaid followed them out the door and along their path through the maze towards the allusive exit. As Cat ran along a corridor that seemed to go on forever, the mermaid maintained a hot pursuit, always trying to draw Mulder back towards her. Between her heels and Mulders strength she was struggling to keep him moving. The corridor finally ended and she found herself at a T intersection. There were no signs, she had no way of knowing which way would lead her out of the maze. Mulder was drifting back to the glass, back to his red mermaid and Cat could now easily see what Mulder had meant about the 'pull' she had on him. It was almost as if an ephemeral strand was pulling the two together. The mermaid could only go right, so if they went left she hoped it would part the pair long enough to be able to talk some sense into her doughy eyed friend. She pulled hard on his arm and he tripped almost falling to the ground, scooping as she walked she managed to get him tumbling in the right direction and away from his red haired shark. She didn't dare turn back to see how she reacted.

They quickly came across another one of the 'private' rooms with the bed and champagne only this one was occupied. A couple were just getting their own party started and didn't even look their way when they almost fell into the opening. The man was sitting on the edge of the bed shirtless, his fly already undone. His female companion stood in front of him while he carefully lowered the zip on the back of her little black dress.

"AAckgh" Cat made that disgusted noise in her throat again and put her back to the oblivious couple. Mulder's head hung loosely on his shoulder as she shook him "Fox, Fox look at me."

He tried to lift his chin but his head seemed too heavy for his shoulders. His pupils were dilated and unfocused. She could see him struggling to clear the fog in his mind. "Scully?" he slurred.

Cat cradled his face in her hands tapping his cheeks trying to help him focus. "It's Cat, Fox, Dr Stevens," Tap, tap she slapped him a little harder.

He blinked and his eyes seemed to clear a little "Scully?"

"No Fox its Cat - Yusaf.- 'moonshadow moonshadow'." She sang just as out of key as he had and slapped him even harder.

That did it. His neck stiffened now able to hold his head up and his eyes drew focus. He realised he was looking at a couple playing who could get their tongue furthest into the others mouth without tumbling on top of each other "What the?!"

Cat still had her hands on his cheeks so she snapped his head in her direction so he was looking at her instead of their new friends "Look at me, Fox, we don't have much time."

"What the hell happened?"

"It's the mermaids. They were doing some kind of hocus pocus on all the men in the room." Her nerves got the better of her and she started using silly actions as she explained. "They had staring eyes and swishy tales and were all like." She pointed her fingers out the side of her head and wiggled her fingers "Wiggy wiggy."

"Wiggy wiggy?"

"Anyway! Everyone in the room with an appendage seemed to gravitate to them like sex deprived zombies."

"Zombies?"

"Anyway! You took fancy to a particularly firey red headed one and I had to stomp on your toe to snap you out of it!"

He lifted his left foot slightly "Ow, that's why that hurts so much" He gave her a silly grin "A red head?"

She looked unimpressed at him "Yes, she had red hair, why is that funny?"

He looked like an adolescent school boy with a crush "it's just that.."

Cat folded her arms over her chest and glared at him.

"Well it's just that, well….. nevermind." The couple fell back onto the bed behind them and the bed covers made a loud "woosh" as they landed, the sound dragging Mulders attention. The man had now successfully hitched the woman's dress up to her waist and was pulling her up onto his lap. He quickly looked back at Cat "Can we get out of here please!"

She looked over her shoulder "Aackgh!" she drew close to him, so close their noses almost touched "Listen to me. We are going to run and you can't look at her. You can't glance at her even for a second and you have to block out whatever noise it is you keep hearing. Here," she pulled a tissue out of her bra."

"Cat did you stuff your…"

"Shut up Fox." She tore two small bits of tissue and rolled them into balls. "Shut up and put these in your ears."

Mulder took them "I don't think it's going to help. Whatever it is, it's in my head."

"Humour me!" Cat snapped and he stuffed the little balls of tissue deep into his ears. She raised her voice. "Are you ready?"

"What!?"

She pulled out one side "Are you ready?"

"Let's go." Mulder replied

"Promise me you won't look at her." He nodded. "Promise me you won't drop my hand. We are going to run until we get to the exit and then we are going to head straight to the docks, get on our boat and get the hell outta here." She stuffed the wad of tissue back in his ear and not giving him a chance to respond dragged him back out of the room.

As soon as they were back at the T intersection they met the mermaids again. The blue and gold one were there, swimming slowly passed seemingly searching for something, or someone. When they spotted Cat and Mulder they instantly headed towards them. Kicking her shoes off Cat pulled Mulders hand hard. He was hunched over trying to get low so his view of the tanks was obscured but the hall was narrow and they sunk themselves right down to his level. Cat increased the pace but they were agile swimmers and easily kept up with them. Mulder shaded his eyes with his free hand trying to block his view but then the other two joined the pursuit on the opposite side of the corridor. Cat looked up and could make out another oak door in the distance. It was exactly the same as the one they entered through.

"AARGH" Mulder cried out behind her and she felt his hand slip from hers. She turned back to find him on his knees, eyes closed, hands covering his ears. "AARGH it's so loud." He cried his face grimacing in pain.

"Get up!" She pulled on him "Get up we are nearly there!"

"Aagh, it's so loud!"

"Get UP!" She pulled him with every ounce of strength she could muster and finally he staggered to his feet. He kept his eyes closed and his free hand over his ear as he let her lead him out of the maze.

They were almost at the door now. All she could see was that tall wooden door, she was so focused on it she was convinced she could will it to open before they got there. Her breathing was laboured. Her leg muscles burned and her wrist ached from the strain of trying to keep Mulders hand in hers. Mulder was still crying out behind her.

"Aargh it's so loud. Oh god they're screaming. Oh god make it stop!"

Finally she reached and opened it with a shove of her shoulder. With one last giant pull she hauled Mulder out ahead of her and threw him into the sand, falling to her knees. Mulder crawled a little way and then vomited into the sand. The noise making Cat look up at him, she could see the dock, she could see their boat. "Are you ok?" She called over the sound of the crashing waves. The swell had definitely picked up since they had walked casually along the beach to the bar earlier that night.

Mulder vomited again in response. She was still panting her hair suddenly damp from the seas spray and small drops of rain that had begun to fall around them. She pushed a few long damp strands from her eyes and pulled herself up and over to him, hooking her arm in his. "Come on, we're nearly there." His hair was now completely wet and small drops of rain hung on his nose and fringe. The front of his white shirt was starting to go see through as the rain soaked it.

They ran in long strides, both tired and getting wetter by the minute. The wind howled around them it felt like small hands brushing their feet trying to trip them as they balanced awkwardly along the floating dock to their boat. The weather seemed to turn quickly. The rain was now falling on them hard, the wind picking up the waves and crashing them angrily against the boats and rocks. All the yachts in the little harbour were swinging and rocking. When they reached the boat Cat jumped on first then helped Mulder over the side rail and dropped him ungraciously in the centre of the boat. Her hair had come loose and was now stuck in long wet bands around her face and throat making it hard for her to see the dials on the small engine. Fumbling with cold fingers she turned the gear and gripped the starter cord. She was exhausted now, working on pure adrenaline, she yanked the cord as hard as she could. The engine sputtered but didn't start. She pushed her hair from her eyes and yanked again "AAAHHH" she cried out. "Sputter sputter," a little smoke this time but it quickly died. She panted from the exertion, deciding there was no way she would get it started until she completely calmed her mind and focused all of her energy on pulling that cord at just the right speed. She looked at the black sea surrounding the boat. Just a few hours ago it was the clearest, cleanest most beautiful looking piece of ocean she had ever seen and now it was black and angry. Unforgiving in the way it lashed at their small boat trying to tip them. A flash of red suddenly pushed through the dense surf, just a few metres from the boat. Her eyes widened "Oh hell no!" The small amount of light shining from the light house in the centre of the island caught the many gems of the red mermaids tail in the water. She adjusted her stroke and lifted her chin so she could meet Cat's eyes. Her wiggy hocus pocus wasn't going to work on her. She righted herself and yanked that cord like her life depended on it fearing that that actually may be the case. The engine roared to life, she flicked it into gear and spun the accelerator as hard as it could go and the boat soared through the waves and into the dark night.

It didn't seem like they had been going for long when the waters calmed and the rain stopped. The moonlight shone a ghostly path towards them but the path didn't seem to lead them anywhere. She looked around and slowed the engine slightly. She could no longer see the light from the island but she couldn't see any other kind of land mass either. They had left so quickly, her desperate need to put as much distance between them and the island meant she didn't really take any notice of which direction she was heading in and now they sat bobbing. The black, sparkling ocean reflected the night sky and not a hint of life surrounded them. She slowed the boat until it stopped, the petrol gauge was nearly on 'E'.

Mulder vomited over the side of the boat again, she had lost count at how many times now, surely there was nothing left. The painful, empty retching sound that came from him confirmed her suspicions. He slumped back into the centre of the boat, his long legs taking up most of the room on the floor. She joined him, sitting at his feet. He looked up at her, his face had grown pale and dark circles had formed below his eyes. "Why have we stopped?" he asked seeming like the effort to speak was almost too much.

"We are nearly out of gas."

"How close are we to the shore?"

She rubbed her arms, suddenly cold. Her hair had dried slightly from blowing in the wind when the boat was moving and it now blew softly over her face. She flicked to clear her eyes of her hair, turning away from him and letting a soft breeze blow over her face.

He began to laugh, quietly at first and then deep hearty laughter seemed to fill the air around them.

She looked at him bewildered at what could possibly be so funny. He was taking off his jacket. God had he gone insane? Was he going to strip down to nothing and jump over the edge of the boat? He was still laughing when he handed her the jacket. He wasn't insane; he was trying to help her get warm. Thankful she quickly drew her arms through the sleeves and hugged the thick fabric close to her cold bones. It was still warm from his body heat making her realise how cold she actually was.

His laughter ebbed to small sobs until he finally stopped completely "I really blew it, Yusaf."

Cat settled down onto her bottom making herself more comfortable at his feet. For the first time since she met him he appeared to be finally exposing some of his true self to her.

He threw his head back and it thumped hard against the seat of the boat he was leaning on. "I really blew it!" he repeated then looked directly back at her. "You don't realise what you have until it's gone. You'd think I would have learned that lesson many years ago."

He seemed angry, but intent on seeing where this was going, Cat didn't dare speak and distract him.

"You don't realise what you have until it's gone. Well, in my case, until you are chased out of treasure island by murderous mermaids only to find yourself lost at sea, where you will surely starve to death if the sun doesn't bake you first." He laughed again.

Cat shifted uncomfortably. Maybe he thought that was funny but she was holding onto some hope they would be rescued. If he didn't think there was that chance, what hope did they have at all? Still, she choose not to interrupt.

When the laughter stopped sadness fell over his features. "I told you my partner was pregnant?"

She nodded.

He smiled.

It suddenly dawned on her, the penny dropped, ding ding the bells were ringing loudly "Oh Fox, it's yours. The baby is yours and Agent Scully - you and her.…."

He nodded and bit his bottom lip nervously.

She shuffled forward so she was now sitting between his knees "Oh my God, it all makes so much sense now." She felt so incredibly stupid, so, so blind. It crossed her mind that perhaps she should take the plunge over the side of the boat. Instead she laughed just like he had. The look on his face made her stop. What awful demons haunted him enough to make him flee out here and away from his own child? She rested her hand down on his thigh and rubbed it affectionately.

"She wasn't supposed to be able to get pregnant." He sounded deeply ashamed to admit that. "I have two fathers, well had two fathers and if you rubbed them both together you would get some kind of cross between Darth Vader and Al Capone."

She had no idea who or what that was but was afraid of what he would do if she admitted that. He seemed to read her expression anyway.

"Bad, that means bad Cat, neither of them were good men."

She covered his cheek tenderly with her hand rubbing her thumb gently along the corner of his mouth and leaned a little closer.

His frustration blocked the signals she was sending leaving him completely unprepared when her lips touched his. He was so shocked it took him a few seconds to realise what was happening, what she was doing. He put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back away from him. He hadn't kissed her back but the coolness of his lips from the wind blowing on the wet she had left where his were dry made him a guilty man. "What are you doing? Why did you do that?"

He looked really angry now but she sat casually back on her heels and let him confront that demon head on.

"I just told you I was having a baby. I just told you I was in a committed relationship. I love her and we are going to have a baby." The words were falling out of his mouth so fast he didn't realise what he was saying. "Why did you kiss me Dr Stevens, when I just told you I was going to be a father?!"

"Is that what you said?" she challenged him.

"I…" he faulted as clarity hit him like a two by four to the head. "I'm going to be a father."

"Yes you are, Fox."

"We are having a baby."

She smiled at him "Did I detect a hint of excitement then?"

The colour seemed to return to his cheeks. "Does this thing have oars?"

 

Two days later….

Scully paced the shoreline of Sunset Bay and for a brief moment she swallowed her anxiety and soaked up her surroundings. The sun was melting below the horizon, turning the blue sea to reds, yellows and oranges. A beautiful contrast to the golden sand that felt cold between her toes, it was easy to see where this bay got its name from. Her joy was short lived as the pressure from the last 24hours returned to her. She had driven down straight after her meeting with Skinner with the two agents he had assigned her. Agent Wiles had been an FBI agent for 10 years. He had a fiance and spent the majority of the car ride complaining about the list of jobs she had given him for the wedding. Agent Simons was about Scully's age and had joined the bureau around the same time as her. She insisted her and Scully had taken a class together but Scully either couldn't or was too preoccupied with what she was doing to remember her. Agent Simons had worked an X-file with Mulder just before he and Scully had been partnered up. So when Wiles wasn't complaining about how hard it was to find a decent band willing to play for under $1000, Simons was reminiscing about the three days she spent with Mulder in the middle of no-where ville interviewing minors who had claimed to find a cave deep in the mine that seemed to miraculously cure sickness and injury. Scully did her best to nod, um and ah at the right time but really she was just grateful these two had absolutely no interest in her pregnancy. She had grown very weary of the stares and questions aimed at her in recent weeks. Upon arrival she had immediately sent local officers to the island. They were hesitant and unconvinced they would find anything other than holiday makers and bachelor parties. Scully had been the only one not shocked when they reported back and confirmed that chaos reigned. Four more dead bodies, including the latest missing tourist. Witnesses claiming mermaids had hypnotised the men, not only in the aquarium bar but right off the side of the boats as they tried to escape. Reports of them swimming right up to the boats and the men seemingly followed willingly into the water and consequently to their deaths.

Scully shaded the glare from her eyes with her hand and looked back out to the horizon. She could see the boat she had hired for the rescue now making its way towards the wharf. Her chest rose and fell a little quicker knowing Mulder was aboard and she would see him soon. She had left Wiles and Simons with Gables in interrogation. They had brought him in as soon as the officers had reported back from the island. Predictably he was using his right to remain silent and lawyering up. The agents were slowly gathering evidence and working on determining the true identity of the mermaids but the wall of silence around the island was high. Most of the patrons were high profile and the fear of exposure was too great to assists their enquiries. The mermaids were missing and the only reliable witnesses they had were jealous wives and scorned mistresses. It was going to be a tough case to build unless they found those mermaids. Right now Scully was happy to leave it with the other agents, all she needed was Mulder to step off that boat safely, partly so she could slap him but mostly so she could kiss him-mostly.

A small wave brushed cold water around her ankles but she didn't flinch. The boat was now being tied to the end of the wharf just 500 short metres away from her but she fought the urge to run to him. He had been at sea for two nights. He would have been so dehydrated. She had sent with the rescuers intravenous fluids and antiemetics so that they could commence rehydrating them immediately. Then she saw them, two figures were being helped off the boat, both were around the same height, both had warm blankets wrapped around their bodies and hooded over their heads. She could easily tell which one was Mulder and assumed the other one was the Biologist he was with. They both seemed remarkably steady having been lost at sea for so long. He hadn't spotted her yet and she still fought the urge to go to him. The sand and shallow water had swallowed her feet a little and she almost lost her balance when a rogue wave whisked around her knees soaking the bottom of her skirt. Before she ended up being washed away she walked a little further up shore, a little closer to him. He and the Biologist were talking, they were standing face to face the expression on his face was very serious. The other hooded figure raised a hand to brush over his cheek and he smiled at her. She continued to stare not knowing whether to go forward or go back, her stomach did a little flutter when his eyes shifted to meet hers. He seemed to grow stronger then, his shoulders lifting and the smile that stretched his face was not that of man who was lost but had finally been found. She smiled shyly back at him. A smile that said 'Yip I'm here, I saved your arse again.' His steps were determined as he started to close the distance between them. She stayed where she was, deciding to let him be the one to come to her.

"Scully" He said when he was close enough for her to hear. Subconsciously she rested her hand over her pregnant belly, all of the walking she had done that day had suddenly made her feel very pregnant. He was looking at her like it had been months instead of days since he saw her. He was looking at her belly like it wasn't there the morning he had left.

"Mulder" she replied. He was now just a metre away from her just watching her, shifting his eyes up and down, as if trying to convince himself she truly was standing there. Her other hand went to her stomach, god why was he staring at her like that with that silly smile on his face, it made her feel like she was getting rounder and rounder.

"Scully" he breathed out her name "you got so….so.."

"Don't say it Mulder. I swear I'll put you right back on that boat."

"Fat." He said to her belly and then looked up to meet her eyes.

"Thank you!" She went to turn away and he caught her arm and pulled her back to him. They stood and stared for a few minutes. The rest of the world circled around them oblivious to the silent conversation that passed between them. His hand still clasped her elbow like he never meant to let her go as a gentle wind blew her hair across her face unable to break the grasp her eyes held on his. The sun had gone down completely now wrapping them in a private darkness. Only a few lights from the bay and surrounding boats cast shadows at their feet. He momentarily broke the spell when he picked up that small piece of hair sitting on her lashes and tucked it behind her ear.

"It couldn't stay the same forever." He whispered the words she had haunted his dreams with.

Scully looked at him confused for a minute, like he was finishing a conversation she wasn't aware she was in. "Do you want it to?"

He looked down at their child growing between them as he contemplated the right thing to say to her. Letting go of her arm he rested his palm on her stomach. Her heart skipped a beat as he brushed a thumb gently over the tight skin underneath her blouse. "I'd be lying if I didn't say I was scared."

She felt the baby begin to roll inside of her so she placed her hand on top of his and moved it over around her to the other side where tiny feet stretched out and kicked softly.

"Woah" Mulder smiled looking in disbelief at the surface of her shirt ripple subtly beneath their hands.

"He has your big feet." She smiled

"He?" He looked back up at her and she nodded confirmation. "A boy?"

"Let's hope he doesn't take after you in height."

They laughed quietly together. "Maybe not on the way out but let's hope that eventually he takes after me in height." Mulder smirked

"You called me fat and now you are calling me short?" she feigned indignant.

"You're a little round and a little short." He teased.

She hit him softly on the arm and then wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, nestling her cheek into his damp chest. He enveloped her inside his blanket "You're the most beautiful thing on this beach." He whispered into the top of her head "and I really want to kiss you."

She opened her eyes and caught site of the rescuers ushering the biologist into a van. "We have an audience." She pulled away from his embrace. "and you are wet you should probably go to the hospital to get rehydrated and warm."

He was shaking his head before she could finish her sentence. "I had two litres IV en route, I haven't vomited since yesterday and all I can think about is room service in that big hotel room with its giant bath, giant bed and you."

He couldn't kiss her so instead he grasped her chin and tilted it up to him. She thought that sounded like the best idea he had ever had in his life.

 

Cat had spent just a few hours in the medical centre hooked up to an IV and being warmed by a mechanical warming blanket. It was the early hours of the morning when she had returned to the hotel. As she passed Fox's room she had paused only briefly outside to contemplate how she could be so jealous and yet so happy at the same time. What she wouldn't give to be in Agent Scully's shoes right now. She had watched them that evening on the beach. The back drop around them made them look like an advertisement for a perfect island getaway. No one else seemed interested in paying them any attention. The rescuers were too concerned with getting her warm as she shivered from hypothermia. His jacket had unceremoniously been ripped off her and a heated blanket thrown around her shoulders. It hadn't taken long to warm and rehydrate her. She hadn't been as sick as Fox, who was no doubt feeling much better now. She didn't want to hang around at the medical centre. She just wanted to get back to her hotel bed, soak in a bath and sleep the day away. There was a flight booked home for her later that evening and she had planned on sleeping until then, knowing it was unlikely she would hear from the FBI agents again.

It was the phone that woke her that afternoon. One of the mermaids had been found dead, they were bringing the body into the morgue and the FBI had requested her assistance with the autopsy. Agent Scully would meet her there at three. She had a 6pm flight she tried to argue, not really wanting to spend the afternoon with the infamous Agent Scully, whom she was sure was more than capable of conducting the autopsy alone. The Agent on the phone was insistent she be there and reassured her she would still make her flight. After showering and pinning her hair back up into a giant bun on top of her head she stepped out onto the balcony of the hotel and closed the door behind her. As her door closed Fox's opened and a very buttoned up Agent Scully spilled out onto the balcony with her. Not yet wanting to see her she quickly ducked in behind a pillar so she could hide from her. She clenched her fist 'dammit' this wasn't high school why was she so nervous about meeting her. Oh yeah she had spent the last three days throwing herself at the father of her child, not to mention that little kiss. But that was for his and her own good she conceded and went to step out from her hiding place and call to her. Just as she did Fox jumped out of the door and called out to Scully. Cat quickly jumped back behind the pillar and closed her eyes, if she couldn't see them they hadn't seen her right? Slowly she opened one then the other eye. She had a clear view of them but they couldn't see her and even if they could they were unlikely to have noticed anyway.

Mulder was in a plush white hotel robe and obviously nothing else. His hair was spiky and wet like he had rushed from the shower. "Scully" he called and she turned quickly and went back to him "You didn't say goodbye."

They both had the glowing cheeks and secret smiles of lovers who had spent the day sorting out whatever differences they had left at home between the silk hotel sheets. "You were in the shower, you know I'm going to the autopsy." She stepped easily into his personal space. They couldn't take their eyes off the others lips as if they were stuck on the memory of what they tasted like. "I'm meeting your Biologist friend there. I can't be late after all it was you who insisted she help me."

He put his hands on her waist and gently pulled her hips to his "Be nice Scully, she helped me out a lot these last few days." He swayed them side to side, their unborn child nestled safely between them.

God, they looked so happy, it made Cat a little nauseous. She was starting to feel like some creepy voyeur but had passed the point where it wouldn't seem weird for her to jump out and reveal her presence to them. So she gritted her teeth and hoped they would part soon.

"I'm always nice." Scully said sweetly. "Let me go, someone might be watching". She tried to wiggle out of his clutches.

He wouldn't let her go "Wiles and Simons have taken Gables back to Washington. The police and forensics are either at the island or the morgue. There is no one around to see us." His voice was low and seductive as he ducked his head under her jaw and began moving his mouth along the length of her neck. Scully's eyelids fluttered closed.

Cat snapped her eyes shut, oh God, she wanted to jump off the balcony. She prayed they wouldn't see her, feeling mortified for invading this private moment. She may not have been able to see them but she couldn't block the sound of his mouth dragging along her skin or the way her breathing had come a little laboured. She dared a peak only to see Scully tug on the tie of his robe so his lips could meet hers. The kiss was deep and slow, obviously a familiar one between the two. She quickly snapped her eyes closed again.

"I have to go." She finally heard Scully say. She opened one eye and saw them peck lips once, twice and then Scully slowly slipped out of his arms. He held her hand until it was stretched as far as it could go and then he dropped it reluctantly still watching her back as she walked away from him, her heels clicking loudly on the hard wood of the balcony.

"Be nice to Cat, Scully." He called out to her. She smiled over her shoulder at him. "I'll have that big bath full for you when you get back." Scully waved at him not looking back this time. He made a satisfied 'hmph' noise as he tightened his robe and went back inside the door. Cat waited a few beats before she tip toed down the balcony behind Scully, hoping to have put enough time between them that she wouldn't see her.

 

 

She had circled the block a few times to make sure Scully was well ahead of her before she entered the morgue. Now standing at the threshold she started to reason with herself. There was no reason why she and Scully couldn't be great friends. After all they were both scientists, confident females making their way through a male dominated profession and they clearly had the same taste in men. Oh wait, that might be the snag. She took a deep breath to prepare herself and then pushed the heavy door open. Scully had a white lab coat on now, covering that buttoned-up suit she had seen her in earlier. She was fussing with instruments at the table next to the body that was still hidden beneath a sheet. "Agent Scully" She put out her hand to her "I'm Dr Catherine Stevens. Cat" Scully shook her hand politely. "It's nice to finally meet you." She added reluctantly, adjusting her glasses unnecessarily. "I can't say I'm glad to be here, I was kind of hoping I never had to see another one of these mermaids again." She laughed nervously knowing she was rambling but was unable to stop herself. "I feel like I should tell you that I really have valued the experiences I've had with your partner the last couple of days. I have truly gained a deep respect for the work that the two of you do and well I guess apart from the fact that I nearly died and all..." There was that nervous laugh again. Why was she still talking? Scully was looking at her like she had four heads. "I surely wouldn't have survived out there on my own. I've never been in a situation like that, you know where you begin to wonder if this is really it for you. We were lucky the weather was calm, that it wasn't too cold and we had a few provisions to keep us alive. He really kept me going out there, he's a really nice guy Fo.. Agent Mulder and I honestly didn't know you and he were, that he was. I mean when I kissed him he didn't kiss me back." Why did she tell her that? Her judgement was extremely off today.

"Dr Stevens." Scully saved her from herself when she paused long enough to let the woman speak.

"Yes Dana…Dr… ah …..Agent Scully?"

"Do you think we could start the post mortem?" Scully barely batted an eyelid at Cat and her over active confession.

"Yes. Well actually, I don't really know what it is you would like me to do. I'm not a pathologist."

"Perhaps you could look at the water and Sargassum samples the forensics team gathered from the island." She nudged her head in the direction of the lab. "I think you'll find them in there."

"Yes!" Cat sounded a little too enthusiastic. "Water samples, seaweed I'm on it." she cringed when her back was turned to Scully. Inside the lab she took solace in spending the next ten minutes looking through a microscope.

Scully whisked back the sheet. She had autopsied a lot of bodies in many different degrees of decay and her work on the X-files had certainly presented her with many strange mutations and monsters. Nothing prepared her for what lay before her now. She was beautiful, long red hair now tangled with sea life. Her skin was flawless and porcelain white. The detail of the gems and tail was so incredibly realistic if she wasn't such a sceptic at heart she would think she was seeing a real mermaid.

"Hey, it's Red." Cat called over her shoulder coming to join her next to the table. "This is Fox's little friend."

"Pardon?" Scully questioned

Cat laughed "Red, Ok now I get why that's funny." She pointed at Scully's hair.

Scully was obviously missing the joke.

"This is the mermaid who did the whammo on Fox. I swear he was practically drooling on the glass, completely hypnotised by her. Then when we were trying to escape she swam right up to the boat. The way they moved through the water, the hold they had over those men. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it for myself"

Scully picked up the clipboard that hung on the end of the gurney and flicked it open to a police profile. "I got them to run her prints against missing persons. It turns out 'Red' is also known as 'hot velvet' or Jasmine Holmes to her mother. She used to be a dancer at a night club Gables frequented in New York. As it turns out three other dancers left this club at around the same time. Each said they were starting new jobs at a high class establishment boasting about the increase in pay and conditions but were never heard from again. That was two years ago."

Cat looked profoundly sad. "I never believed they were real mermaids but I didn't expect that either. Can you explain how they developed the ability to turn men into love sick zombies?"

"I'm hoping my examination today will answer that question. Ms Holmes and the others were known addicts, I think Gables feed their habits in order to keep them working for him. The tox screen should shed a bit more light on that. Did you find anything in your samples?"

Cat walked back through to the lab where she had been working. "Yes. As I suspected the water and sargassum found in the lungs and oesophagus of our original victims match that of the water and contaminant in the tank that was closed while we were on the island. There is no doubt that is where the men died."

"You kissed him!" Scully replied catching Cat completely off guard. They seemed to be jumping back a few conversations.

"I did, but only to prove a point." Scully looked a little confused and not very convinced. "About you and the baby and how something so complicated can become so simple. The realization that a teeny thing like a kiss could threaten to take everything you never even realized you had."

Scully seemed to consider her words for a few beats. "Good work on those samples, Cat." She answered "And thank you."

Cat smiled certain it wasn't her amazing Biology skills Scully was thanking her for.

 

 

As promised, Mulder had that giant bath filled to overflowing with hot water, thick bubbles and heavenly smells that filled the bathroom. She stretched her shoulders against the rim she leant on and sighed heavily. The last of the evening sun flooded through the small bathroom window that was opened slightly, casting a soft glow of colour and gentle sounds of birds and waves. This was her very definition of heaven, well perhaps, there was just one thing missing.

"Knock knock, can I come in?" Mulder asked walking into the bathroom. Scully's smile was wide in response. Now it was the very definition of heaven. "How's your back now?" He asked taking a seat next to the bathtub and resting his arms over its slippery edge.

"Much better thank you. Where have you been?" She kept her eyes closed and shoulders relaxed beneath the water not wanting to disturb her increasingly relaxed state.

"I was just saying goodbye to Dr Stevens." He watched his finger make a trail through the bubbles on the surface of the water. Scully didn't respond for a long time making him feel a little uneasy.

"I bet that was touching. Did she kiss you goodbye too?"

His finger froze mid pattern, he looked up at her hoping she would elaborate a little more on that But she still had her eyes closed and was giving nothing away.

"Scully I …" He started to scramble

Her left hand came out of the water and a wet finger went to his lips to silence him. She grinned wickedly "Shhhh I'm just teasing you."

He released a breath and sighed in relief. "I can't help it if sexy scientists find me irresistible."

That got him a flick of water to the face. "We solved your X-file." She said while he wiped the drops of water from his eyes and nose.

"Ooh Scully I love it when you talk dirty."

She smiled softly "Your mermaids were originally dancers at a New York night club with the apparently popular name "mermaids". Gables was a frequent patron at the club and one night after a good return in the stock markets he decided to recruit his four favourite girls and open a club of his own. He already owned the island but had been using it as somewhere to schmoose corporates or friends on conference or vacation." Mulder got comfortable on the floor resting his chin on his hands intently watching her do what she did best. "The women were all heroin addicts and estranged from their family and friends so it wasn't difficult to talk them into it or for him to get the police to forget about their missing persons files. At first I am sure his intentions were, in a way, genuine. He got them off the heroin and onto a methadone programme. The woman were isolated on the island but seemed to be well looked after, pampered even and wanted for nothing. It probably seemed like a great deal at the time, they lived in paradise, were well feed and manicured and all they had to do was swim around in warm tanks with tropical fish all night."

"I'm guessing as they came down off the drugs they wanted to go back to their families and the real world." Mulder interrupted.

"Who's telling this story?" she opened one eye to look at him

"Sorry, proceed."

"Thank you. From what I can gather either Gables kept them under his control by altering their dosage of methadone or they became so isolated and consumed by their new roles as mermaids that they literally became mermaids."

"Wow." Mulder replied

"Yeah. Only one of the four mermaids has been found. The police are still looking but I suspect the others have drowned. From the description Dr Stevens gave I think it's safe to assume if we do find the others my finding s will be identical. The tail, while it was mostly synthetic there were parts of it that were literally implanted into their skin. Her legs had imbedded scales and extensive tattooing. Those gems on their torsos were piercings."

"Drowned? Why did they drown now and how can you explain the hypnotic powers they seem to have or their motive for killing those men." Mulder was anxious to push ahead.

She lifted her head off the bath rim and looked directly at him, 'Are you going to let me finish?' written all over her expression.

He buttoned his lips.

"They used very high tech scuba equipment. There was a small oxygen delivering devise inside their noses that they hooked up to various oxygen stations around the aquarium. The thing is these stations didn't hold medical air they held pure oxygen allowing them to be able to "free dive" for long periods of time. The thing is constant exposure to pure oxygen isn't good for you but this woman and I assume the others seemed to have developed a higher tolerance to it. However, over exposure to this oxygen and methadone fuelled environment has altered their brain function and chemistry. There were global anomalies throughout her brain some that are commonly found post mortem in those who were exhibiting psychosis but there were some changes that I have never seen before. Frankly, I can't explain how they were able to hypnotise those men but I think it's a fair assumption that it is linked to these unusual changes."

"Why did they kill them?"

"I had the report from the only surviving sailor faxed through to me yesterday while I was autopsying the latest victims. His recall of events is shakey at best, first of all he said they swam up to the boat but they clearly were taken into the tank that had been closed due to the noxious weed."

"One of them swam up to our boat and there was an outlet to the sea from the tanks, perhaps they dragged them off the boat and back into the tank to play." Mulder added.

"Perhaps." Scully conceded. "The original three died from hyper oxygenation so I assume the mermaids were able to keep them alive under the water using the supply tanks in the aquarium only they didn't have the same tolerance for it, which is why it killed them."

"What motivated them to take them in the first place?"

"Procreation?"

"They wanted Mer-babies?" Mulder could barely contain himself.

"Each species has an inborn instinct to procreate. These women are no different, however, I suspect their psychosis jumbled this instinct and created a half fish half human way to make babies."

"You know I was joking about the dirty talk, right Scully." Mulder cringed.

"Most fish reproduce by spawning, the male and female release gametes into the water for fertilization."

"So they dragged them down tied them up and….". He didn't quite know how to finish that sentence "What a way to go."

"Yeah, well, between the alcohol, oxygen and mermaids trying to extract their sperm, I'm sure they were feeling no pain, I guess things got a little out of hand. I don't know why they shoved the seaweed down their throats but then again I'd be pretty angry too if someone tried to turn me into a pet fish. Clearly they had had enough anyway - they dragged the latest four victims into the water and drowned them before they disappeared and probably drowned themselves."

They were both quiet as they soaked in the facts. "I just have one question?" Mulder interrupted their thoughts. "How did the bodies end up on the beach?"

"I thought I'd leave that last piece of the puzzle to you. Honestly Mulder, how are you going to cope when I'm at home with a baby?"

"You mean you weren't planning on bringing Mulder junior to the office."

She pushed herself forward in the bath sending a good chunk of water over the side and into his lap. "Mulder Junior?!"

He stood and started to remove his now soaking clothes. "Yeah I thought I'd get you one of those kid packs, you know the ones that you put on your front. He could come with us on cases. I'll put a few extra pockets in it for you. You know something to hold extra diapers, your badge and gun." He tried to sound genuine as he slipped the last of his clothes off but his sly smile was giving him away.

She didn't protest at all when he pushed her shoulders forward and settled himself around and behind her in the bath. "I'm not calling my child Mulder Junior." She replied relaxing her back against his front.

Mulder laughed in her ear. "Out of everything that I just suggested, the name is the thing you have the biggest problem with?"

"You're making a mess." She avoided answering his question "This bath isn't big enough for three of us."

He placed his hand over her stomach, making her heart flutter again. She could get used to the feeling of him doing that. "Ok you don't like junior then, what about Frank?"

"Frank?" she sounded completely unconvinced.

"Frank Sinatra, Frank Robinson, Frank Zappa, Frank…."

"enstein.." She finished.

"Mickey"

"No"

"Jordan"

"No"

"Xavier?"

"Mulder!"

"Ok we don't need to decide on a name now, Scully." He drew little circles around her belly button.

She closed her eyes and did some serious evaluating. This moment she decided, this moment was her definition of heaven.


End file.
